When to plant Sweet potatoes

The planting dates depend on your average frost dates. Enter a ZIP code to get yours, or read the USDA table below.

Earliest safe spring planting dates: sweet potatoes
Average last freezePlant
Jan 30Feb 15 – May 15
Feb 8Mar 1 – May 15
Feb 18Mar 20 – June 1
Feb 28Mar 20 – June 1
Mar 10Apr 1 – June 1
Mar 20Apr 10 – June 1
Mar 30Apr 20 – June 1
Apr 10May 1 – June 1
Apr 20May 10 – June 10
Apr 30May 20 – June 10
May 10Not listed
May 20Not listed
May 30Not listed
June 10Not listed
Latest safe fall planting dates: sweet potatoes
Average first freezePlant by
Aug 30Not listed
Sept 10Not listed
Sept 20Not listed
Sept 30Not listed
Oct 10May 20 – June 10
Oct 20June 1 – 15
Oct 30June 1 – 15
Nov 10June 1 – July 1
Nov 20June 1 – July 1
Nov 30June 1 – July 1
Dec 10June 1 – July 1
Dec 20June 1 – July 1

Source: USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 9 (1967), “Suburban and Farm Vegetable Gardens,” tables 4 and 5. The bulletin scan.

Sweet Potatoes by state