The dangerous season

Yes, we gardeners live dangerously. I thought everyone knew that. We create jungles in our garden spaces in August because we're incredibly impatient at the end of May. Plus, there's the aura of mystery inherent in every springtime garden when seeds are used.
Will it come up? Did it die? Did a critter chomp either the seeds or the seedlings?
I planted six sweet potato plants - only two look like they'll survive. Still not thriving, as you can see by the picture, but looking somewhat Gloria Gaynor-ish.

Here's the one that's got me living on the edge of danger. It looks dead, right? I gave it a huge space because my mom said sweet potatoes need it. So now that I've got the huge empty space with nothing growing in it but a maybe-dead sweet potato, I'll be tempted to plant even more seeds because an empty space in a garden is worse than a cookie jar with no cookies. It must be filled!
I will sow a jungle. My sweet potato plant will miraculously not die, but will compete with the squash, beans or tomatillos I plant in its place. Everything will grow and I'll need a machete to find whatever produce my jungle produces.

If that's not living dangerously, I don't know what is.