So sorry Mary. I had a groundhog eat all of my row of sweetpotatos down to the ground! I opened the kitchen window and gave it a dose of lead poisoning, right between the eyes! Then I couldn't stand to see the dead body, so I covered it up with a tub until my DH came home from work and hauled it off. That was about 25 years ago.
I really doubt that there is some repellent for them. I hope you get the problem taken care of.

Speaking of groundhogs.............last week, dh yelled at me from the living room to come quick...dashed in to see something sitting on the back porch. dh said it had stood up on its legs and looked in the storm door at him. By the time he got his shoes on and got the gun, it was gone. I didn't check my sweet potatoes this morning....We finally figured out it was a very young one. He still had a very dark coat with just a few white hairs in it. It looked like a very large squirrel. That is only the second live groundhog we have very seen.

Sweet potato leaves must be tasty. Do you think the plants will leaf out again?
We've only seen a groundhog a few times in the 19 years we've been in this house. I've been lucky so far. They haven't bothered my plants at all (yet). Something tried to steal a watermelon one year but I don't know what it was. I found it several feet from the vine.
Maryo - Did you see the picture I posted awhile back of a groundhog in a tree?

Here is a link that might be useful: Look what my dogs treed

We have a well behaved groundhog that lives by where our road joins the highway. Now i hope he stays there.

Christie, We had a deer tromp on a watermelon breaking it up and eating it several years ago. He left his hoof prints all over.
vickie

Saw your picture Christie! I didn't know they could climb trees until last July 4th. Someone shot off a fire cracker in the neighborhood and I heard this commotion in the vacant lot next door. Sure enough, groundhog in the tree! The trap has been out 2 days now. Nothing. I cut the vines back to nubbins and the leaves are starting to sprout.