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When to plant sweet potatoes
Plant sweet potatoes 3–5 weeks after the last spring frost. Wait until the soil is at least 65°F. That works out to zone 5b (late May to early June), zone 7a (early May to mid May) and zone 9a (late March to early April).
Sweet potatoes planting dates by zone
| Zone | Plant outdoors | sweet potatoes ready from |
|---|---|---|
| 4a | Jun 5 – Jun 19 | Sep 10 |
| 4b | Jun 3 – Jun 17 | Sep 8 |
| 5a | Jun 1 – Jun 15 | Sep 6 |
| 5b | May 26 – Jun 9 | Aug 31 |
| 6a | May 21 – Jun 4 | Aug 26 |
| 6b | May 15 – May 29 | Aug 20 |
| 7a | May 6 – May 20 | Aug 11 |
| 7b | Apr 27 – May 11 | Aug 2 |
| 8a | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jul 23 |
| 8b | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Jul 12 |
| 9a | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Jun 28 |
| 9b | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Jun 2 |
How to plant sweet potatoes
| Plant as | slips |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 65°F or warmer |
| Depth | Bury slips to the top leaves |
| Spacing | 12–18 in |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to harvest | 90–120 days |
Sweet potatoes are grown from rooted sprouts called slips, not seed.
They need four warm months; cold soil causes rot.
Avoid heavy nitrogen, which gives vines instead of roots.
When to harvest sweet potatoes
Dig before soil temperature drops below 55°F or right after the first light frost blackens the vines; cure 1–2 weeks warm before eating.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.
More vegetables to plant
Tomatoes · Bell peppers · Potatoes · Pumpkins · Cucumbers · Okra · Zucchini · Watermelon