When to sow Sweet Potato in the UK
Sweet Potato is frost-tender, so the right week to sow it depends on where in the UK you garden.
Sowing and harvest dates by region
Sweet Potato is frost-tender, so its timings shift across the UK. Plot works them out from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Sow indoors | Plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | late January to late March | mid April to early May | early August to late September |
| South Coast and Channel | early February to late March | late April to mid May | early August to early October |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | late January to late March | mid April to early May | early August to late September |
| South East and Home Counties | late February to mid April | early May to late May | late August to mid October |
| East Anglia | late February to mid April | mid May to early June | late August to late October |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | early March to late April | late May to mid June | early September to late October |
| Wales and West Coast | late February to mid April | early May to late May | late August to mid October |
| Northern England | mid March to early May | late May to mid June | mid September to early November |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | late March to early May | early June to late June | mid September to mid November |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | mid April to late May | late June to mid July | early October to early December |
| Northern Ireland | late February to mid April | mid May to early June | late August to late October |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | late January to mid March | mid April to early May | late July to mid September |
Growing notes
Bought slips or plug plants arrive in March and April and must be grown on indoors, then planted out only once all frost risk has passed, from late May. It crops best at 21-26C, so a greenhouse, polytunnel or cloches make the difference between a crop and a disappointment in most of the UK.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 30 cm between plants
- Row spacing
- 75 cm
- Plants per m²
- 3
- Days to maturity
- 140 days
- Yield per plant
- 1 kg
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- Yes
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 40 litres or more
- Minimum soil depth
- 30 cm
- Balcony rating
- 2 out of 5
What usually goes wrong
- frost damage
- glasshouse red spider mite
- glasshouse whitefly
- poor tuber set in a cool summer
Companion planting
Grows well near
Keep away from
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for sweet potato.