When to plant sweet potatoes in zone 6b
In zone 6b, where the last spring frost typically comes around April 23, plant out May 30 to June 6.
The zone 6b schedule for sweet potatoes
- Plant out
- May 30 to June 6
- Soil warm enough (65°F), about
- May 30
- First harvest, roughly
- August 28 to October 4
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 4,514 ZIP codes in zone 6b, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for sweet potatoes.
Frost risk in zone 6b
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 6b, the typical last frost ranges from about April 10 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to May 6 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 9 to October 29. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 8Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- April 23Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 9Safe: 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 6b cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | Apr 18 | May 22 to 29 | — |
| Boston, MA | Apr 4 | Jun 7 to 14 | — |
| Detroit, MI | Apr 21 | May 31 to Jun 7 | — |
| Kansas City, MO | Apr 4 | May 12 to 19 | — |
| Cleveland, OH | Apr 8 | May 29 to Jun 5 | — |
| Cincinnati, OH | Apr 16 | May 20 to 27 | — |
| Pittsburgh, PA | Apr 24 | May 28 to Jun 4 | — |
| Buffalo, NY | Apr 24 | Jun 9 to 16 | — |
| Toledo, OH | Apr 20 | May 27 to Jun 3 | — |
| Boise City, ID | Apr 24 | Jun 6 to 13 | — |
| Spokane, WA | Apr 26 | Jun 24 to Jul 1 | — |
| Rochester, NY | Apr 24 | Jun 6 to 13 | — |
How to grow sweet potatoesAll zonesSweet Potatoes in zone 6aSweet Potatoes in zone 7aAbout zone 6b
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