Sweet Potato in Zone 10a & 10b

Ipomoea batatas

When to plant sweet potato in zone 10b

Zones 10a and 10b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Start indoors: Start indoors from seed, then transplant outside. Sweet Potato needs a head start most zones can't give it by direct-sowing alone.

Window	Spring window
Start indoors	Jan–Apr
Direct sow / transplant outside	Mar–Jun
Estimated harvest	Jun 19–Oct 18 (~110 days after transplanting)

Spacing: about 4 square feet per plant (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 0.5-1 ft.

Zone 10b dates sourced from growinginthegarden.com.

Sweet potato isn't related to the regular potato at all. It's grown from slips, which are rooted sprouts started from a mature sweet potato, rather than from seed or a cut tuber. It also wants more heat and a longer season than most gardeners expect, which is why an early indoor start matters even though the plant itself is a vigorous, sprawling vine once it's established.

How sweet potato fits zone 10's season

Zone 10b's frost-free window runs about 324 days, from January 30 to December 20. Sweet Potato needs about 110 days from transplant to first harvest.

Good companions

Bush Beans: Beans fix nitrogen that heavy-feeding sweet potato vines use.

Where to buy sweet potato seeds

See why we recommend these suppliers →

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