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Can You Grow Sweet Potato in Michigan?

US · USDA Zone 5b · zones 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a

Grows well here

Sweet potatoes grow well here — they love the warm season your zone provides.

Plant zones

5a–11b

Michigan last frost

early April

Michigan first frost

late October

Days to harvest

90–120 days

When to plant Sweet Potatoes in Michigan

Direct sow

Apr 7

Harvest

Jul 6 – Aug 5

Dates are approximate, based on Michigan's average frost dates. Your exact yard may vary by microclimate.

About Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes need a long warm season and thrive in heat — they are a subtropical crop at heart.

Plant slips (rooted cuttings) after soil warms to 18°C. They sprawl — give them space or train vertically. Cure harvested tubers at 30°C for a week to develop sweetness and improve storage.

Full sweet potato growing guide →

Gardening in Michigan

Michigan has a humid continental climate moderated by the Great Lakes. Southern Michigan is Zone 5b-6a; the Upper Peninsula is Zone 4a-5a. Known for fruit crops along Lake Michigan.