When to Plant Sweet Potato in Portsmouth, Virginia (23708)

Location

Portsmouth, Virginia

ZIP Code

23708

USDA Zone

Last Frost

Sunday, March 15, 2026

📅 Your 2026 Planting Dates

Direct Sow Outdoors

Sunday, March 15, 2026

Based on last frost Sunday, March 15, 2026 · Zone 8b

Pro tip: Sow Sweet Potato directly outdoors around your last frost date when soil starts to warm.

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🌿 Plant Details

Scientific Name Ipomoea batatas

Days to Maturity 100 days

Mature Height 12-18"

Spread 36"

Type Vine

Fruit Size Medium-Large (6-12 oz per root)

☀️ Growing Requirements

☀️

Sun

Full Sun (8+ hours)

💧

Water

Moderate (reduce as harvest approaches)

↔️

Spacing

12" apart

🌱

Planting Depth

4" deep

Seeds typically germinate in 14-21 days

Ready to Plant Sweet Potato in Portsmouth?

Get your seeds now so they're ready by Sunday, March 15, 2026.

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🤝 Good Companions

OkraDillThyme

⚠️ Avoid Planting Near

SquashSunflower

🤝

Full Companion Planting Guide for Sweet Potato

See which plants help Sweet Potato thrive, which to keep away, and raised bed layout tips →

🛠️ Supplies You'll Need

🪵 Raised Garden Bed 🌍 Vegetable Garden Soil 🛠️ Hand Trowel Set 🚿 Watering Can

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Common Sweet Potato Varieties

Popular cultivars to look for at your local nursery or seed supplier.

Beauregard

orange 90d

The most widely grown orange-fleshed sweet potato; high yields and excellent flavor.

Covington

orange 95d

Rich orange flesh with smooth skin and sweet flavor; excellent storage quality.

Stokes Purple

purple 120d

Deep purple flesh with high anthocyanin content; nutty, slightly dry texture.

Hannah

white 90d

Pale tan skin with cream-colored flesh; mild, less sweet flavor — like a cross with regular potato.

🌾 Seed Saving Guide

🪴 Vegetative propagation

Propagate vegetatively, not by seed

Sweet potatoes are propagated from "slips" — sprouts grown from a stored tuber, not from seed in typical gardens.

Store tubers at 55–60°F in a humid spot. In spring, place in shallow water to grow slips for planting.

🪴

Raised Bed Planting Guides

A 4×8 bed fits 32 plants of Sweet Potato. See plant counts, spacing grids, and companion pairings for every bed size →

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I plant Sweet Potato in Portsmouth, Virginia? +

In Portsmouth (Zone 8b), direct sow Sweet Potato outdoors around Sunday, March 15, 2026.

What is the last frost date for Portsmouth, Virginia? +

The average last spring frost date for Portsmouth, Virginia (ZIP 23708) is around Sunday, March 15, 2026. This is based on NOAA climate normals for USDA Zone 8b.

How long does Sweet Potato take to grow? +

Sweet Potato typically matures in about 100 days from direct sowing. In Portsmouth, that means you can expect harvest around Sunday, March 15, 2026 plus 100 days.

Should I start Sweet Potato indoors or direct sow in Virginia? +

Sweet Potato does best when direct sown outdoors. In Portsmouth, sow directly around Sunday, March 15, 2026.

📚 More Sweet Potato Planting Guides

🗺️

Sweet Potato in Virginia

Zone-by-zone breakdown · Full state guide

→ 🌡️

Zone 8b Sweet Potato Guide

All cities in your zone · Avg dates

→

Other Plants for Portsmouth

Blackberry Blueberry Raspberry Strawberry Basil Chamomile Chives Cilantro Dill Lavender Lemon Balm Marjoram Mint Oregano Parsley Rosemary Sage Tarragon Thyme Acorn Squash Artichoke Arugula Asparagus Beefsteak Tomato Beet Bell Pepper Bok Choy Broccoli Brussels Sprout Butternut Squash Cabbage Cantaloupe Carrot Cauliflower Cayenne Pepper Celery Cherry Tomato Chili Pepper Collard Green Common Bean Cucumber Eggplant Endive Fennel Garlic Grape Tomato Green Bean Habanero Pepper Head Lettuce Heirloom Tomato Honeydew Melon Jalapeño Pepper Kale Kohlrabi Leaf Lettuce Leek Lima Bean Mustard Okra Onion Parsnip Pea Poblano Pepper Pole Pea Potato Pumpkin Radicchio Radish Rhubarb Roma Tomato Rutabaga Serrano Pepper Shallot Snap Pea Snow Pea Spaghetti Squash Spinach Squash Sweet Corn Swiss Chard Tomato Turnip Watermelon Zucchini Sunflower Marigold Zinnia Nasturtium Cosmos Echinacea (Coneflower) Petunia Black-eyed Susan Apple Tree Pear Tree Peach Tree Plum Tree Sweet Cherry Tree Lemon Tree Borage Lemongrass Ginger Stevia Tomatillo Edamame Fava Bean Mâche Mizuna Sorrel Shishito Pepper Banana Pepper Watermelon Radish Napa Cabbage Popcorn Broccoli Raab Catnip Valerian Lemon Verbena Bee Balm Anise Lovage Chervil Summer Savory Dahlia Snapdragon Pansy Sweet Pea Morning Glory Hollyhock Larkspur Bachelor Button Columbine Impatiens Salvia (Annual) Sweet Alyssum Celosia Lupine Verbena Elderberry Grape Vine Red Currant Gooseberry Serviceberry Fig Tree Avocado Tree Persimmon Tree Olive Tree

Growing Sweet Potato in Zone 8b

Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a popular garden vegetable. In Portsmouth, Virginia, which is in USDA Hardiness Zone 8b, you should direct sow seeds around Sunday, March 15, 2026.

Your average last frost date is Sunday, March 15, 2026. Sweet Potato grows well when direct sown, as it doesn't transplant well or germinates quickly outdoors.