When to plant sweet potatoes in zone 5a
In zone 5a, where the last spring frost typically comes around May 3, plant out June 7 to 14.
The zone 5a schedule for sweet potatoes
- Plant out
- June 7 to 14
- Soil warm enough (65°F), about
- June 7
- First harvest, roughly
- September 5 to October 12
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 2,200 ZIP codes in zone 5a, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for sweet potatoes.
Frost risk in zone 5a
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 5a, the typical last frost ranges from about April 27 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to May 21 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from September 25 to October 13. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 20Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- May 3Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 17Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Sweet Potatoes are killed by frost, so if you want to be safe, plant out after the safe date rather than the typical one, or be ready to cover plants on a cold night.
Your dates for sweet potatoes
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant sweet potatoes where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Sweet Potatoes in zone 5a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | Apr 23 | Jun 3 to 10 | — |
| St. Paul, MN | Apr 23 | Jun 3 to 10 | — |
| Anchorage, AK | May 5 | May 19 to 26 | — |
| Sioux Falls, SD | May 1 | May 31 to Jun 7 | — |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | Apr 28 | May 26 to Jun 2 | — |
| Billings, MT | May 10 | Jun 21 to 28 | — |
| Bloomington, MN | Apr 23 | Jun 1 to 8 | — |
| Sioux City, IA | Apr 29 | May 28 to Jun 4 | — |
| Brooklyn Park, MN | Apr 30 | Jun 4 to 11 | — |
| Woodbury, MN | Apr 24 | Jun 3 to 10 | — |
| Plymouth, MN | Apr 29 | Jun 5 to 12 | — |
| Blaine, MN | Apr 30 | Jun 4 to 11 | — |
How to grow sweet potatoesAll zonesSweet Potatoes in zone 4bSweet Potatoes in zone 5bAbout zone 5a
Sources
- Sweetpotato (HGIC 1322) · Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center
- How to Grow Sweet Potatoes in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Easy Gardening: Sweet Potatoes (EHT-026) · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP 103/VH021) · UF/IFAS Extension
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- Ipomoea batatas · NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox