When to plant sweet potatoes in zone 5b
In zone 5b, where the last spring frost typically comes around May 1, plant out June 6 to 13.
The zone 5b schedule for sweet potatoes
- Plant out
- June 6 to 13
- Soil warm enough (65°F), about
- June 6
- First harvest, roughly
- September 4 to October 11
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 2,546 ZIP codes in zone 5b, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for sweet potatoes.
Frost risk in zone 5b
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 5b, the typical last frost ranges from about April 21 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to May 18 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from September 30 to October 19. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 18Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- May 1Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 16Safe: 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 5b cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | Apr 19 | Jun 8 to 15 | — |
| Madison, WI | May 1 | Jun 5 to 12 | — |
| Des Moines, IA | Apr 18 | May 23 to 30 | — |
| Aurora, IL | Apr 19 | May 30 to Jun 6 | — |
| Fort Collins, CO | May 2 | Jun 8 to 15 | — |
| Naperville, IL | Apr 19 | May 30 to Jun 6 | — |
| Rockford, IL | Apr 24 | May 29 to Jun 5 | — |
| Elgin, IL | Apr 26 | Jun 2 to 9 | — |
| Greeley, CO | May 2 | May 31 to Jun 7 | — |
| Green Bay, WI | Apr 30 | Jun 10 to 17 | — |
| Davenport, IA | Apr 19 | May 26 to Jun 2 | — |
| Longmont, CO | May 6 | Jun 9 to 16 | — |
How to grow sweet potatoesAll zonesSweet Potatoes in zone 5aSweet Potatoes in zone 6aAbout zone 5b
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