tuber · transplant
Sweet Potato: how much to plant.
A family of 4 eating sweet potato a few times a week needs about 2 plants in ~9 sq ft, worth about $8 a year at the store. Here are the exact numbers for your household, and when to plant in every zone.
How much to plant
Plants, space, seeds, and value.
Counts assume about 3 servings per person per week with a germination buffer built in. Store value uses ~$1.50/lb retail, an estimate that varies by region and season.
| Household | Plants | Bed space | Seeds to buy | Store value / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 1 | ~5 sq ft | ~2 | ~$4 |
| 2 people | 1 | ~5 sq ft | ~2 | ~$4 |
| 4 people | 2 | ~9 sq ft | ~3 | ~$8 |
| 6 people | 3 | ~13 sq ft | ~4 | ~$11 |
Spacing
14" in row · 42" between rows
Sow depth
3"
Days to harvest
110 from seed
When to plant
Sow windows by USDA zone, 2026.
Zone dates are typical, not exact. The free planner uses your ZIP code's frost dates, not just the zone, and shifts every window to match.
| Zone | Spring sow window | Fall sow window |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | Jun 21 – Aug 5 | — |
Sweet Potato needs about 110 days and your first frost comes too early for that. Even the earliest date shown will not ripen outdoors here, grow it in a container you can move, or treat it as a short-season variety. | ||
| Zone 4 | Jun 16 – Jul 31 | — |
Sweet Potato needs about 110 days and your first frost comes too early for that. Even the earliest date shown will not ripen outdoors here, grow it in a container you can move, or treat it as a short-season variety. | ||
| Zone 5 | Jun 6 – Jul 21 | — |
Sweet Potato needs about 110 days and your first frost comes too early for that. Even the earliest date shown will not ripen outdoors here, grow it in a container you can move, or treat it as a short-season variety. | ||
| Zone 6 | May 27 – Jun 13 | — |
| Zone 7 | May 12 – Jun 23 | — |
| Zone 8 | May 1 – Jun 15 | — |
| Zone 9 | Mar 29 – May 13 | — |
| Zone 10 | Mar 9 – Apr 23 | — |
Know when it's time to plant
Give us your ZIP and we'll email you a planting checklist for your exact frost dates, this month's list right now, then once a month when sow windows open.
One email a month, only when there's something to plant. Unsubscribe anytime.
Know before you grow
The practical stuff.
Ready to pick when
Dig when vines start yellowing in fall, before any frost, around 100 to 120 days. Test-dig one hill; roots should be full-size.
Don't wait: Frost on the vines can rot the roots below within days. Cure warm and humid for a week to sweeten.
Yield
About 2.5 lbs per plant over ~1 productive weeks (~2.5 lb).
Watch for
Sweetpotato weevil · Wireworms & white grubs · Aphids · Black rot, the pest guide covers organic fixes for each, and Pest Radar shows what gardeners near you are reporting right now.
Neighbors
Plays well with bush bean, summer savory, peanut. Keep away from fennel. Which of these hold up, and what not to plant after
On the plate (per 100 g, USDA)
86 kcal · 3 g fiber · 2.4 mg vitamin C · 337 mg potassium
When to plant sweet potato in your state
Pick your state for exact sow windows.
Each page keys sweet potatoto that state's typical frost dates, with spring and fall windows and the indoor-start date where it helps.
Stop guessing. Get your exact numbers.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for your ZIP code, not just your zone, in about 60 seconds.
Sweet Potato keeps for months in cool storage. See how much to grow and store to feed your household, and how long it keeps.
Sweet Potato planting questions
How many sweet potato plants do I need per person?+
For steady eating (about 3 servings a week), plan on roughly 1 plant per person. A family of 4 needs about 2 plants, which takes around 9 sq ft of bed space.
How much space does sweet potato need?+
Space plants 14" apart in the row with 42" between rows. Sow 3" deep. Start indoors, transplant out.
When should I plant sweet potato?+
It depends on your frost dates. Spring sowing is keyed to your last spring frost. The zone table on this page shows typical windows; enter your ZIP in the free planner for dates tuned to your exact location, not just your zone.
Is growing sweet potato worth it?+
At about $1.50/lb retail and ~2.5 lb per plant, a family-of-4 planting is worth about $8 a year at the store. Prices vary by region and season, so treat it as an estimate.