Can You Grow Sweet Potatoes in Canada?

If you’re a Canadian vegetable gardener, you may be wondering how to grow sweet potatoes. In general, they are grown in warm regions, and need long periods of frost-free growing. In fact, they can only tolerate temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius and should never be planted until the risk of frost is past. So, you’ll need to plant your sweet potatoes early in the growing season. Then, make sure to harvest them before soil temperatures drop below 10 degrees C.

In addition to being cold-hardy, sweet potatoes like warm conditions. While their roots are unable to tolerate frost, they can endure temps below zero. However, the vines cannot withstand freezing temperatures and therefore must be planted in warmer soil. This can cause problems with yield and storage. In order to avoid these problems, growers in cooler climates can experiment with cultivars that mature earlier. A black plastic covering the plants will increase the soil temperature and allow the sweet potatoes to mature earlier.

The sweet potato is native to Central and South America, but grows well in the warmer regions of Ontario and has been commercially grown since the 1970s. The northern shores of Lake Erie are ideal for growing them. There are also a number of new cultivars that have been developed especially for Canadian conditions. If you are interested in growing sweet potatoes in Ontario, try Radiance, which has a shorter growing season and is better adapted for the region. Regardless of the type of soil you choose, make sure to check the U.S. grade. It will give you an idea of what your crop should look like.