Are you growing Sweet Potatoes in Ohio, but don’t know when the best time to harvest them is?

Harvesting Sweet Potatoes is not as easy as it seems.

Here’s why:

• Sweet Potatoes have a very short window when they can be harvested and still taste great.

So if you harvest them too early they may not be ready and taste bad. And if you harvest them too late they may become infected with mold, fungus, insects, etc., and become inedible.

Today, I’m going to teach you the ideal time to harvest sweet potatoes in Ohio:

• To Learn More About HOW to Grow Sweet Potatoes, Check Out This GUIDE!

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When Do I Harvest Sweet Potatoes in Ohio?

As you may have already guessed, there are two main factors that determine when you should harvest your sweet potatoes: the physical features of the sweet potatoes & weather (time).

Harvest Sweet Potatoes if They Look Like This!!!

The physical features of sweet potatoes are what most gardeners commonly rely on to determine if they are ready to be picked off the plant or not.

In general, you should harvest Sweet Potatoes if they have the following physical features:

• The entire sweet potato is a solid purple/red color
• The sweet potato is slightly soft. Too hard means it is not ready. Too soft means it is overripe
• The leaves of the sweet potato are green, wide, and have a diameter of at least 6 inches to 1 foot

Harvest Your Sweet Potatoes During THIS Time of Year!!!

In general, you should harvest sweet potatoes:

• 90 to 120 days after starting sweet potatoes from seed
• 30 days after planting sweetpotatoes in your garden

And no matter what, you should ALWAYS harvest your sweet potatoes before the first frost of the year. Frost will immediately kill your sweet potatoes plant and make your sweet potatoes inedible.

For your reference, I have created this table for average frost dates for most major cities in Ohio. If your city is not listed below you can find its Last & First Frost Dates HERE.

Ohio Last & First Frost Dates

It should be noted that you should not overly rely on the first frost of the year. The average first frost of the year is only correct 30% of the time.

Instead, pay close attention to your local weather.

When you know a frost is coming you need to take action.

• If sweet potatoes are in pots, bring them inside
• If sweet potatoes are in the ground, cover them in burlap and hope they survive
• Pick all sweet potatoes. If they are not ready, place them in a brown paper bag and store them for approximately 1 to 2 weeks to see if they become edible.

If you want to learn WHEN to harvest ANY Vegetable in Ohio, head over to HERE and just type in the vegetable you want to grow.