I started them like that too. Last year I just threw a sp in the ground that had sprouted, no roots. It didn't produce anything. ....Umm I have a couple rabbits running around. I haven't seen them in the garden yet. I grow enough Yukon gold for the winter. This year I got some huckleberry gold, they seem to be doing well, they are low glycemic purple skinsI tried starting sweet potatoes last year. The slips grew great indoors. I started them in water with sweet potato halves partially submerged. I had a lot of slips develop. The rabbits ate them within days of planting outside though. I didn't bother this year. Maybe I'll try again next year. It would be nice to have a harvest of them. This year's new root crops are some different potatoes (purple and pink) and Jerusalem artichokes. It looks like I can expect a harvest from this year's newby root crops at least.