When to plant sweet potato in Des Moines
Sweet potato is frost-tender, so every date keys off Des Moines's last spring frost of Apr 17.
Step 1 · Plant
Transplant outdoors
Jun 1 – Jun 22
Once frost risk has passed and nights stay mild.
Step 2 · Harvest
Harvest window
Aug 30 – Sep 29
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
90 – 120 d
Des Moines's 179-day season leaves this much room.
Sweet potato on Des Moines's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
FROST
FROST
APR 17
OCT 16
Common questions
When will sweet potato be ready to harvest in Des Moines?
Expect to harvest from around late August (Aug 30–Sep 29) in Des Moines, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 80%.
When can I transplant sweet potato outdoors in Des Moines?
Transplant outdoors around early June (Jun 1–Jun 22) in Des Moines, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 86%.
How long is the growing season in Des Moines?
Des Moines has roughly 179 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow sweet potato to maturity outdoors.
The rule of thumb
Sow sweet potato 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out 2–3 weeks after it. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Des Moines's frost dates.
Confidence 89/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.