When to plant sweet potatoes in zone 7b
In zone 7b, where the last spring frost typically comes around April 5, plant out May 14 to 21.
The zone 7b schedule for sweet potatoes
- Plant out
- May 14 to 21
- Soil warm enough (65°F), about
- May 14
- First harvest, roughly
- August 12 to September 18
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 3,025 ZIP codes in zone 7b, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for sweet potatoes.
Frost risk in zone 7b
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 7b, the typical last frost ranges from about March 30 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to April 17 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 24 to November 18. For a typical place in the zone:
- March 20Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- April 5Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- April 21Safe: 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 7b cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | Mar 30 | May 23 to 30 | — |
| Philadelphia, PA | Mar 30 | May 13 to 20 | — |
| Nashville-Davidson, TN | Mar 31 | Apr 30 to May 7 | — |
| Oklahoma City, OK | Apr 4 | May 7 to 14 | — |
| Albuquerque, NM | Apr 6 | May 14 to 21 | — |
| Tulsa, OK | Mar 31 | May 2 to 9 | — |
| Newark, NJ | Apr 2 | May 23 to 30 | — |
| Jersey City, NJ | Apr 2 | May 23 to 30 | — |
| Reno, NV | Apr 20 | Jun 2 to 9 | — |
| Lubbock, TX | Apr 4 | Apr 30 to May 7 | — |
| Richmond, VA | Apr 3 | May 9 to 16 | — |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Apr 8 | May 27 to Jun 3 | — |
How to grow sweet potatoesAll zonesSweet Potatoes in zone 7aSweet Potatoes in zone 8aAbout zone 7b
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