When to plant sweet potatoes in zone 7a
In zone 7a, where the last spring frost typically comes around April 16, plant out May 24 to 31.
The zone 7a schedule for sweet potatoes
- Plant out
- May 24 to 31
- Soil warm enough (65°F), about
- May 24
- First harvest, roughly
- August 22 to September 28
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 3,981 ZIP codes in zone 7a, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for sweet potatoes.
Frost risk in zone 7a
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 7a, the typical last frost ranges from about April 5 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to April 29 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 15 to November 2. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 1Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- April 16Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 3Safe: 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 7a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY | Mar 31 | May 5 to 12 | — |
| Wichita, KS | Apr 11 | May 12 to 19 | — |
| Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY | Apr 13 | May 15 to 22 | — |
| St. Louis, MO | Apr 8 | May 11 to 18 | — |
| Amarillo, TX | Apr 13 | May 12 to 19 | — |
| Providence, RI | Apr 11 | Jun 6 to 13 | — |
| Paterson, NJ | Apr 3 | May 22 to 29 | — |
| Bridgeport, CT | Apr 5 | Jun 2 to 9 | — |
| Meridian, ID | Apr 24 | Jun 6 to 13 | — |
| Stamford, CT | Apr 12 | Jun 5 to 12 | — |
| New Haven, CT | Apr 5 | Jun 2 to 9 | — |
| Allentown, PA | Apr 20 | May 27 to Jun 3 | — |
How to grow sweet potatoesAll zonesSweet Potatoes in zone 6bSweet Potatoes in zone 7bAbout zone 7a
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