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How to Grow Sweet Potato

Reviewed by MyLocalPlanting Editorial Team Updated Sources
Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas)

Get Your Exact Sweet Potato Planting Dates

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Ready to grow Sweet Potato?

Order seeds from trusted suppliers.

🛒 Amazon 🌿 True Leaf

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🛠️ Supplies You'll Need

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

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🌿 Plant Overview

Scientific Name Ipomoea batatas
Category vegetable
Type Vine
Days to Maturity 100 days
Starting Method Direct Sow

☀️ Growing Requirements

☀️

Sun

Full Sun (8+ hours)

💧

Water

Moderate (reduce as harvest approaches)

↔️

Spacing

12" apart

🌱

Depth

4" deep

📏

Height

12-18"

🌱

Germination

14-21 days

Ready to Grow Sweet Potato?

Find quality seeds from trusted suppliers.

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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.

Days-to-maturity figures are approximate and vary by climate and growing conditions.

🌾 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 →

Sweet Potato Planting Calendar by Zone

Zone 1a Zone 1b Zone 2a Zone 2b Zone 3a Zone 3b Zone 4a Zone 4b Zone 5a Zone 5b Zone 6a Zone 6b Zone 7a Zone 7b Zone 8a Zone 8b Zone 9a Zone 9b Zone 10a Zone 10b Zone 11a Zone 11b Zone 12a Zone 12b Zone 13a

Sweet Potato Planting Calendar by State

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Frequently Asked Questions

When should I plant Sweet Potato? +

Sow Sweet Potato seeds directly in the garden 0 weeks before your last frost date. Use the search on this page to find exact dates for your location.

How long does Sweet Potato take to grow? +

Sweet Potato typically matures in about 100 days from planting. Exact timing varies by variety, soil conditions, and local climate.

Should I start Sweet Potato indoors or direct sow? +

Sweet Potato does best when direct sown outdoors. Plant seeds directly in the garden at the appropriate time based on your local frost dates.

How much sun does Sweet Potato need? +

Sweet Potato requires full sun (8+ hours) to thrive.

How far apart should I plant Sweet Potato? +

Space Sweet Potato plants 12 inches apart to allow adequate airflow and root development.

How much water does Sweet Potato need? +

Sweet Potato has moderate (reduce as harvest approaches) water needs. Consistent moisture is important especially during germination and early growth.

Can you save seeds from Sweet Potato? +

Sweet Potato is not typically propagated 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.

About Sweet Potato

Planted from slips (sprouts from tubers) rather than seeds. Needs warm soil and a long season. Harvest before first frost when leaves begin to yellow.

Expect your Sweet Potato to be ready for harvest in approximately 100 days from planting.

Use the search above or browse by zone or state to find the perfect planting dates for your location.