Weak Plants and Re-Planting

TomatoDon · May 30, 2022

Probably, we've all done this but I was curious if there is a right or wrong way.

I have a lot of tomato plants in the ground and some look weak and yellowish, and just plain sickly. It's only an occasional one, here and there, and they are not diseased; I think they had too much heat and not enough water the first few days after I planted them.

I don't want to wait longer to see what they will do, so I wanted to ask here, is it best to just pull those weak plants and plant a new one in its place, or leave the weak plant and plant a new seeding of the same variety beside it?

I've done it both ways, and one of my most memorable plants was a large one in a gallon pot that snapped in half as I was planting it. I left the rooted part and a foot of stalk in the ground, and took the top foot of it and stuck it in the ground and watered it good, it lived and sprouted roots, and both produced a bumper crop of tomatoes.

So, should I give the yellowish weakings more time, but plant another seedling a few inches from it? Or, pull the weak plant and start over with one new seedling?

Thanks in advance,
Don

dshreter · May 30, 2022

I’d say there’s a third option to consider… I usually find a weak plant is also associated with poor root growth. Could be because the roots were too wet, or they have a hard time breaking through their potting up soil, who knows.

I have previously pulled out the plant, tease out most of the soil around the roots, prepped the ground, and replanted deeply. I’m not gonna give you statistics because I have none, but I’ve seen plants come back vigorously and it can be an opportunity to reset so to speak.

If your seedling is small though, just toss it. I’ve only done this with pretty good sized starts. If you don’t have much to lose in terms of plant maturity, I prefer to just swap in a healthier plant - life is too short for weak tomatoes!

PaulF · May 30, 2022

The first couple of weeks will tell the story. If by then and compared to the rest of the plants in the garden a tomato does not show any new growth and looks weak it gets pulled and tossed. That is why I keep a second set of plants. The problem arises when there is not a spare plant of that variety. Then I choose the healthiest of the spares.

Sometimes I double plant, sometimes not. No reason for either, just the mood I'm in or whether it feels right what to do. No statistics either way.

May 30, 2022	#1
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,523	Weak Plants and Re-Planting Probably, we've all done this but I was curious if there is a right or wrong way. I have a lot of tomato plants in the ground and some look weak and yellowish, and just plain sickly. It's only an occasional one, here and there, and they are not diseased; I think they had too much heat and not enough water the first few days after I planted them. I don't want to wait longer to see what they will do, so I wanted to ask here, is it best to just pull those weak plants and plant a new one in its place, or leave the weak plant and plant a new seeding of the same variety beside it? I've done it both ways, and one of my most memorable plants was a large one in a gallon pot that snapped in half as I was planting it. I left the rooted part and a foot of stalk in the ground, and took the top foot of it and stuck it in the ground and watered it good, it lived and sprouted roots, and both produced a bumper crop of tomatoes. So, should I give the yellowish weakings more time, but plant another seedling a few inches from it? Or, pull the weak plant and start over with one new seedling? Thanks in advance, Don __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

May 30, 2022	#2
dshreter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2019 Location: Seattle Posts: 58	I’d say there’s a third option to consider… I usually find a weak plant is also associated with poor root growth. Could be because the roots were too wet, or they have a hard time breaking through their potting up soil, who knows. I have previously pulled out the plant, tease out most of the soil around the roots, prepped the ground, and replanted deeply. I’m not gonna give you statistics because I have none, but I’ve seen plants come back vigorously and it can be an opportunity to reset so to speak. If your seedling is small though, just toss it. I’ve only done this with pretty good sized starts. If you don’t have much to lose in terms of plant maturity, I prefer to just swap in a healthier plant - life is too short for weak tomatoes! Last edited by dshreter; May 30, 2022 at 11:23 AM.

May 30, 2022	#3
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	The first couple of weeks will tell the story. If by then and compared to the rest of the plants in the garden a tomato does not show any new growth and looks weak it gets pulled and tossed. That is why I keep a second set of plants. The problem arises when there is not a spare plant of that variety. Then I choose the healthiest of the spares. Sometimes I double plant, sometimes not. No reason for either, just the mood I'm in or whether it feels right what to do. No statistics either way. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.