Sweet potatoes/questions/pic

[A. Lyric]

I pulled sweet potato vines this morning so I could dig my sweet potatoes. And every sweet potato I uncovered looked like these.

This is my second year growing sweet potatoes but they didn't stick out of the ground last year.

Why are they sticking out of the ground this year? What is the potential problem if they stick out of the ground? I don't think they're suppose to, but I'm not sure why. Sun scald, maybe?

Lastly, something in the soil has clearly been eating them and munched little trails around the skin on some of them. And as I was digging I found little grub like looking things which I suspected was the culprit. But I don't know what to do about them or how to prevent them next year.

Thoughts, suggestions, experience so welcome!

 

[oneeye]

Do yams and sweet potatoes grow underground?
Both vegetables grow underground, but they are different parts of the plant. Sweet potatoes

I pulled sweet potato vines this morning so I could dig my sweet potatoes. And every sweet potato I uncovered looked like these.
View attachment 99666

This is my second year growing sweet potatoes but they didn't stick out of the ground last year.

Why are they sticking out of the ground this year? What is the potential problem if they stick out of the ground? I don't think they're suppose to, but I'm not sure why. Sun scald, maybe?

Lastly, something in the soil has clearly been eating them and munched little trails around the skin on some of them. And as I was digging I found little grub like looking things which I suspected was the culprit. But I don't know what to do about them or how to prevent them next year.

Thoughts, suggestions, experience so welcome!

They are in the Morning Glory family and they can grow like that. They look good to me, you did a very good job growing them.