Early planting
Soil at planting depth >65°FThe first field date after soil at planting depth exceeds 65°F and frost risk is past.
Commercial field guide · Texas
Growing sweet potatoes in Texas
Texas sweet potato transplanting is best scheduled from soil temperature and the fall cutoff, not a single statewide date. Texas A&M recommends planting after soil at planting depth exceeds 65°F and roughly 150 warm days remain before fall soil reaches 55°F.
Texas warm-season field production
Growing for a home garden? See the general sweet potato guide.
Regional crop context
Sweet potatoes in Texas
Texas A&M’s commercial crop profile documents slip production, raised beds, field spacing, irrigation and harvest. Current USDA summary data groups Texas with other states, so this page does not assign a current state acreage or rank.
The Texas A&M commercial crop profile is an older technical reference; its measured temperature gates remain the source for the regional timing rule shown here.
Step 1 of 7 · Assess
Check the field and production system before ordering slips
Set the date from soil temperature and expected fall cooling. Coordinate slip supply, raised-bed width, irrigation at planting and the harvest plan; planting date varies across Texas.
6 topics still to verify· planning aid only, not a suitability score
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Need a field-specific review? Run a coordinate-level farm audit for localized conditions.
Read the field history before selecting slips
Root-knot nematodes, wireworms and other soilborne pests affect marketable roots. Soil sampling, clean planting material, crop rotation and equipment sanitation are the first decisions; chemical treatment depends on current field results and product labels.
Step 2 of 7 · Plan
Choose a transplant window in Texas
Texas A&M describes a soil-temperature rule that works across the state’s broad climate range. Use the local soil reading and fall cooling date to set the three planning positions.
Main planting
About 150 warm days remainThe commercial timing target is about 150 days before fall soil is expected to reach 55°F.
Late planting
At the 150-day cutoffThis is the final timing boundary in the Texas A&M guidance; choose variety and harvest plan before planting.
Early plantingMain plantingLate planting
Historical regional climate
Monthly soil and air temperature context
Green tiles are months whose mean soil temperature is in the 77–86°F root-development range; all other tiles are neutral and show the value. Early, main and late badges mark the 10th, median and 90th-percentile dates for reaching 18.3°C for 4 consecutive days. Bar height shows the mean.
Early soil-warming date
March 04
10th percentile
Median soil-warming date
March 19
median year
Late soil-warming date
April 09
90th percentile
- Early · 10th percentile
- Main · median
- Late · 90th percentile
- 77–86°F root range
- Cooler or warmer than the root range
June: regional monthly means
- Modeled soil temperature
- 30.5°C · 0–7 cm model layer
- Mean air temperature
- 28.2°C
Months whose historical mean soil temperature reaches the 65°F reference: April, May, June, July, August, September, October. Months in the 77–86°F root-development range: May, September. These are monthly regional averages, not planting dates or a frost check.
Open-Meteo · era5_land · 1996-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · Reference point 31.50°N, 99.00°W. Soil-temperature values are modeled at 0–7 cm model layer; the 65°F (18.3°C) transplant reference comes from a 4-inch field measurement. Use the regional calendar above with a current field reading.
Set the field date from a real soil reading
Sweet potato slips establish best after frost risk has passed and the soil is at least 65°F (18.3°C) at 4 inches. That is a field measurement; the climate strip above shows regional history.
Match the date to variety maturity
Use the regional crop duration and expected fall cutoff to choose a variety and harvest date. Confirm market grade, digging capacity and curing space before planting.
Step 3 of 7 · Prepare
Build an aerated bed and keep the crop sequence clean
Texas A&M recommends deep sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loamy fine sand over a firm, friable subsoil. Raised beds support the warm, aerated root zone.
The bed does several jobs
- Improves aeration and drainage around developing roots.
- Warms the crop zone for a warm-season transplant.
- Gives the setter and digger a consistent row to follow.
Keep bed height and shape consistent with soil texture, water movement and the equipment used on the farm.
Set fertility from the field test
Base pH and fertilizer rates on representative soil tests. Avoid excess nitrogen, which can favor vine growth over marketable storage-root sizing.
Step 4 of 7 · Establish
Plant slips, not seed, and calculate the stand
Sweet potatoes are established from vegetative vine cuttings called slips. Buy clean, healthy slips in the target variety and quantity, and keep them shaded and moist until planting.
Regional starting pattern
- Between rows
- 38–42 in (97–107 cm) beds
- Within row
- 8–14 in (20–36 cm)
- Transplant depth
- 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm), with at least three nodes covered
Texas A&M gives 38–42-inch raised beds and 8–14 inches between slips. The calculator uses those bounded regional ranges.
Planting calculator
Estimate slips for your field
Estimated slips
13,068
at 40 × 12 in
Estimate = field area ÷ row-by-slip spacing. Keep values within the published bounds, then match the starting pattern to equipment and target root grade. Headlands and replant allowance are not included.
Step 5 of 7 · Manage
Protect the establishment period and the root grade
The first weeks determine how evenly slips establish and how the crop competes. Protect the crop from early weed competition and scout for wireworms, flea beetles and root-knot nematodes. Use field history, clean planting material and equipment sanitation to reduce avoidable risk.
Get water onto the slip at planting
Water immediately after setting and maintain enough moisture for root establishment. Track rainfall and soil moisture; avoid keeping beds saturated.
Keep the field clean while the crop closes rows
Scout early and maintain a weed-free start through canopy closure. Choose current control methods for the farm’s production system.
Scout below the canopy as well
Wireworms, flea beetles and root-knot nematodes can downgrade roots. Keep field history and scouting records tied to each harvest lot.
Keep tools and planting stock clean
Use certified or otherwise clean slips, avoid carrying soil on slips, and clean equipment after infested fields to limit movement of nematodes and soilborne disease.
Step 6 of 7 · Harvest
Dig at the planned size, cure quickly and protect the skin
Texas A&M gives 90–150 days after planting as a harvest range. Dig at suitable root size before fall soil becomes too cool, then cure promptly.
Harvest period
About 90–150 days after transplant, before fall soil reaches 55°F.
Plan by variety, market size, planting date, field condition and frost risk.
Cure
80–85°F · 85–90% RH
Texas A&M’s crop profile gives 7–10 days with good airflow after harvest.
Store
55–60°F · about 85% RH
Keep roots dry with good ventilation; avoid prolonged storage below 55°F.
Step 7 of 7 · Reference
Evidence behind the Texas guide
View references (4)
- 1. Texas A&M AgriLife — Sweet Potato commercial crop profileOlder technical profile; undated PDF
Texas soil-temperature planting rule, 150-day fall cutoff, bed and slip spacing, 90–150-day crop duration and postharvest conditions.
- 2. USDA NASS — Vegetables 2025 SummaryPublished 12 February 2026
Current state-level production tables; Texas is grouped in “Other States,” so no Texas-specific production value is quoted.
- 3. Washington State University Extension — Sweetpotato Production PracticesPublished January 2026
Crop-level soil-temperature context, bed preparation, equipment-led row spacing and the relationship between plant density and root size.
- 4. University of Missouri Extension — Growing Sweet PotatoesReviewed March 2026; originally published September 2017
Crop-level transplant establishment, slips, frost sensitivity and raised-bed practice. Missouri calendar dates are not applied to other regions.
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