Heart-o-Gold

Family: Convolvulaceae Root Vegetable

Sunlit and irresistibly sweet, Heart-o-Gold’s golden roots glow with a warm, butter-yellow interior and a tender, creamy bite once baked or roasted.

The shape is distinctly heart-leaning, with smooth skin that caramelizes beautifully and develops a rich, honeyed depth. Grow this 95-day yellow sweet potato for luscious fresh slices, velvety mash, and vibrant color in sauces and hearty sides.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 95 DaysHabit: Vine

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Direct Sow
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	Apr 25th
Harvest Begins	Jul 29th
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	95
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Vine
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	80
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	55
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Heart-o-Gold brings a sunshine-sweet, custardy texture that turns lush in the oven—roast it hot and let the edges caramelize, not dry out. Its honey warmth plays best with fat and smoke, then gets cut clean with acid (lime or vinegar) so it doesn’t tip into candy-sweet.

Best Uses

roasting and caramelizing wedges until the surfaces go bronzed and crisp
velvety mash with butter and a splash of vinegar or citrus to wake up the sweetness
thick slices baked into gratin-style layers where the center stays creamy but the tops set
purée for silky orange-gold sauces (starch helps them cling)

Flavor Profile

honeyed sweetness creamy, tender interior caramelized edges with light nuttiness

Kitchen Pairings

butter goat cheese lime juice smoked paprika maple syrup black pepper

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease most commonly affects Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato) like Heart-o-Gold, and how can I manage it?

Sweet potato slips can bring in soil-borne issues, and the most common home-garden problem is sweet potato weevil damage (feeding holes on roots) plus root rot in overly wet soil. Use clean, certified slips; rotate crops so Ipomoea isn’t grown in the same bed again for at least 3 years; and avoid heavy, waterlogged soil to prevent rot. If you spot weevil activity, harvest promptly when ready and cure roots immediately (warm and humid for about 7–10 days) to reduce further damage during storage.

How often should I water Ipomoea batatas during the main growing phase, and what soil moisture target should I aim for?

During active vine growth and root bulking, keep the bed evenly moist but not soggy: water deeply when the top 1–2 inches of soil dry out. Aim to maintain consistent moisture without creating standing water, since saturated conditions encourage rot and reduce root quality. After about the mid-season point, reduce watering slightly so roots aren’t sitting in excess water before harvest.

How do I tell when Heart-o-Gold (Ipomoea batatas) is ready to harvest?

Harvest at about 95 days after planting slips, when vines begin to yellow and growth slows. For the best check, gently dig near the row and confirm that tuberous roots have filled out to the size you want (often 4–8 inches long, depending on spacing). Before temperatures drop, harvest all roots promptly—light frost can injure vines and increase storage issues, even if roots are still developing.