When can I plant sweet potato outside?

Direct sow or transplant 3 weeks after your last spring frost.

How long until sweet potato is ready to harvest?

90-120 days. Leaves begin to yellow in fall; dig carefully with a fork to avoid cutting tubers; cure in warm area for 10 days

Lawn Guardian

When to Plant Sweet Potato

Ipomoea batatas

vegetableZones 5–11intermediate

Heat-loving root crop with attractive trailing vines. Nutritional powerhouse rich in vitamin A. Slips (rooted shoots) are planted rather than seeds.

Planting calendar

Direct sow / transplant

3 weeks after your last spring frost.

Plant slips (not seeds) after soil is 65°F+; use black plastic mulch to warm soil in cooler zones

Spacing & harvest

Plant spacing: 12-18 inches
Row spacing: 36-48 inches
Days to harvest: 90-120 days
Ready when: Leaves begin to yellow in fall; dig carefully with a fork to avoid cutting tubers; cure in warm area for 10 days

Companion planting

Plant near

Dill — Attracts beneficial insects
Thyme — Deters flea beetles and whiteflies

Keep away from

Butternut Squash — Competes for space as both are sprawling vines

Get sweet potato planting dates for your exact zone

Lawn Guardian turns this guidance into a schedule timed to your USDA zone and this week's actual weather — and adapts every time you log what you've done.

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Sources: Purdue University Turfgrass Science: Use Growing Degree Days to Better Time Your Applications · University of Missouri Extension: Cool-Season Grasses: Lawn Maintenance Calendar · University of Minnesota Extension: Pre-emergent Herbicides for Crabgrass Control in Lawns