How to grow sweet potatoes in a raised bed
Plant rooted cuttings ("slips") once the soil is warm. Loves hot summers.
Spacing1 plant per 2 × 2 ft
How to startPlant young plants (sold at garden centers)
When to plantAbout 3 weeks after your last spring frost
Time to harvestAbout 100 days
Grows toAbout 14 in tall
When to plant sweet potatoes in your zone
Dates are based on the average frost dates for each zone. Don't know your zone? Enter your ZIP code in the planner.
| Zone | Start seeds indoors | Plant in the bed | Plant again for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | — | Jun 10 | — |
| Zone 3b | — | Jun 5 | — |
| Zone 4a | — | Jun 2 | — |
| Zone 4b | — | May 29 | — |
| Zone 5a | — | May 25 | — |
| Zone 5b | — | May 19 | — |
| Zone 6a | — | May 13 | — |
| Zone 6b | — | May 6 | — |
| Zone 7a | — | Apr 29 | — |
| Zone 7b | — | Apr 22 | — |
| Zone 8a | — | Apr 15 | — |
| Zone 8b | — | Apr 5 | — |
| Zone 9a | — | Mar 22 | — |
| Zone 9b | — | Mar 8 | — |
| Zone 10a | — | Feb 21 | — |
| Zone 10b | — | Feb 5 | — |
Tips for raised beds
- Give each plant a 2 × 2 ft space in the bed.
- It stays fairly short, so it can go near the south (sunny) edge of the bed.
- Most vegetables and fruit need at least 6 hours of direct sun a day.
Where to buy sweet potato plants
Burpee · True Leaf Market · Botanical Interests
Plan where your sweet potatoes go. Pick your bed size and material, choose your plants, and get a printable plan with measurements, a shopping list and planting dates for your ZIP code. Free, no sign-up.
Open the free planner →