How to Grow Sweet Potato 'Covington'

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Sweet Potato 'Covington'

Ipomoea batatas 'Covington'

vegetable

Covington is a high-yielding sweet potato variety prized for its deep orange flesh, excellent flavor, and superior nutritional profile rich in beta-carotene. It produces large, uniform tubers with smooth skin and is one of the most commercially popular varieties in the United States. This warm-season crop requires a long growing season and well-prepared soil to thrive.

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Example Sweet Potato 'Covington' timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

Plant Sweet Potato 'Covington'
Around Apr 17

Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
Tend & protect
Late spring–summer

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
Harvest Sweet Potato 'Covington'
Around Jul 26

≈ 100 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Sweet Potato 'Covington' dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

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Sun: Full sun, 8+ hours daily (10-12 hours ideal)

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Water: Moderate, consistent moisture; 1-1.5 inches per week. Water deeply but allow soil to dry slightly between waterings. Reduce watering as harvest approaches to concentrate sugars.

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Spacing: 12 inches

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Days to maturity: 100-120 days

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Planting depth: Plant slips 1-2 inches deep; tubers planted 2-3 inches deep in loose soil

Soil

Type: Well-draining sandy loam or raised beds with loose, fertile soil

pH: 5.8-6.2

Amendments:

Compost or aged manure Perlite or coarse sand for drainage Balanced fertilizer (avoid excessive nitrogen) Potassium and phosphorus-rich amendments

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 7-11; requires at least 100-120 frost-free days

7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b 11a

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Growth Stages

Slip Development

1-2 weeks (post-planting establishment)

Sweet potato slips (rooted vine cuttings) begin sprouting from seed potatoes or purchased slips establish initial root systems.

Harden off purchased slips before planting. Plant only after soil reaches 60°F (preferably 65-70°F). Handle slips gently to avoid damaging tender roots.

Vegetative Growth

4-6 weeks

Vines develop rapidly, producing heart-shaped leaves and spreading runners across the ground or trellis. Minimal tuber development occurs during this phase.

Provide consistent water and moderate nitrogen. Mulch around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Monitor for early pest infestations. Train vines if using trellis system.

Tuber Initiation & Bulking

4-6 weeks

Stolons (runners) swell at the base, forming tubers underground. Above-ground vine growth continues but slows as energy is directed to tuber development.

Reduce nitrogen application; switch to potassium and phosphorus for tuber development. Maintain consistent, moderate moisture. Avoid excessive nitrogen which delays tuber formation.

Tuber Sizing & Maturation

3-4 weeks

Tubers increase in size and starch content. Skin thickens and the characteristic orange color deepens. Plant vines may flower (though this is secondary to tuber production).

Continue moderate watering but gradually reduce frequency 2-3 weeks before harvest. Avoid working around plants excessively to prevent tuber damage. Monitor soil temperature.

Harvest Readiness

1-2 weeks before frost danger

Covington tubers reach full maturity with smooth skin and optimal sugar content. Vines may yellow slightly; tubers are fully sized (6-12 inches long typical).

Harvest before first frost (at 50-55°F soil temperature). Handle tubers carefully to avoid bruising. Cure harvested tubers at 80-85°F for 7-10 days to improve flavor and storage quality.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Marigolds Nasturtiums Garlic Onions Beans Corn Squash

Avoid planting near:

Fennel Potatoes (same family, disease risk) Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli) Heavy nitrogen-fixing crops if space is limited

Common Pests

Use yellow sticky traps, spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap, encourage beneficial insects, remove heavily infested leaves
Inspect slips before planting, use resistant varieties when possible, practice crop rotation, remove and destroy infested tubers, use pheromone traps for monitoring
Hand-pick in early morning, use pheromone traps away from plants, apply neem oil or spinosad if heavy infestation, encourage beneficial predators
Row covers for young plants, neem oil or kaolin clay spray, reflective mulch, encourage native parasitoid wasps
and
Ensure excellent drainage, avoid overhead watering, cure tubers after harvest, store at 55-60°F with 85-90% humidity, remove diseased plants immediately

Uses

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Baking, roasting, and traditional sweet potato dishes

Culinary

Covington's deep orange flesh, sweet flavor, and creamy texture when cooked make it ideal for baked sweet potatoes, fries, casseroles, pies, and purees. The naturally high sugar content caramelizes beautifully when roasted. [source]

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Beta-carotene and antioxidant source

Medicinal

Covington sweet potatoes are exceptionally rich in beta-carotene (converted to vitamin A), vitamin C, potassium, and polyphenols, supporting eye health, immune function, and antioxidant defense. [source]

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Smoothies, soups, and whole food blending

Culinary

Cooked Covington flesh can be blended into smoothies, butternut squash-style soups, and purees for added nutrition, natural sweetness, and creamy texture without added sugar. [source]

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Home food preservation and storage

Household

Covington's superior storage longevity (3-4 months) compared to other sweet potato varieties makes it ideal for home gardeners seeking season-long pantry staples without refrigeration. [source]

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Ornamental foliage and wildlife benefit

Wildlife

The vigorous trailing vines with attractive heart-shaped leaves provide ground cover that suppresses weeds, and occasional sweet potato flowers can provide late-season nectar for pollinators. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Harvest Covington sweet potatoes 100-120 days after planting, or when soil temperature drops to 50-55°F and before the first frost. Carefully dig around the base of the plant with a garden fork to avoid bruising tubers. Harvest the entire plant by digging outward in a circle. Handle tubers gently and brush off excess soil rather than washing. Cure freshly harvested tubers at 80-85°F with 90% humidity for 7-10 days to convert starches to sugars, heal minor skin breaks, and improve storage life (can store 3-4 months in cool, dark, humid conditions).

Fun Facts

🌱 Covington was specifically bred by the North Carolina State University for superior yield and disease resistance, becoming the most widely grown commercial sweet potato variety in America due to its consistency and flavor.
🌱 Unlike true potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), sweet potatoes are not nightshades but belong to the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae), making them a completely different plant despite similar appearance.
🌱 Sweet potatoes can be propagated from a single tuber—burying it in warm, moist soil causes it to produce multiple slips that can each grow into a full plant, allowing gardeners to multiply their crop naturally.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Full Sun Mulch pH Runner Trellis

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