Red Pontiac potatoes are doing great. First (5) gallon Potato Bucket is filled, Second is 75% filled and both are budding.

I have them in a full sun location now but after watching videos online, people with failed crops generally blame two items. Not enough water, and too much sun.

1) Does anyone recommend I move these to a morning sun afternoon shade location to keep the soil cooler now that the vegetation is over the top of the bucket?

2) The soil is made up of a very loose yard waste compost in both buckets. In the case of bucket one, it filled completely with this compost. Does anyone suggestion about switching the growing medium for bucket two to straight shredded leaves for the finally 30% left to fill the bucket?

3) When I am covering these stems with compost/leaves should I cut the large potato leaves from the main stock before covering?

4) How much stem should be showing at all times, I read conflicting reports. Some say to ‘hill’ after six inches of grow but all the way up the stem to just before the top leaves and others state to only hill high enough to leave at least 6" of stem showing. What is your opinion?

Last year, I got a half dozen potatoes I would love for it to go much better this year.

Thanks in advance — Cherokee Motley