[Elaine G]

I noticed when sowing larger seeds like broad beans and runner beans that there is a large variation in seed size. But smaller seeds like french beans seem fairly evenly sized.
 Logic says that the larger seeds will have more chance of producing a good crop, so should I be selecting those to sow first, or does it not matter in the long run?
Sorry if this is a daft question - blame it on the wine!

Elaine

[Trillium]

Basically, you're right; the larger the seed, the larger the plant and this is also true for potatoes and garlic.

[purplebean]

Basically, you're right; the larger the seed, the larger the plant and this is also true for potatoes and garlic.

So that tiny broad bean seed I sowed on Saturday should have been left in the packet and I should have used a bigger one. Now you tell me!!

and no I didn't only sow 1 seed, just one tiny one  I wish I knew which roottrainer it was in now as I could have compared them

[Aidy]

Yep. I always start with the big seeds and work down in size.

[prakash_mib]

hmm.. quick update on size.
1. I did soaked lablab beans (just 5 of them) and one was quite large before and after soaking that was the "Mother of all seeds". I thought that should be the best seed in the whole pack. Anyway I bunged them in and to my surprise the big mama never sprouted. after a week did a furtle to see that it had sucked in lot of water/moisture and started rotting. the tiny ones are fab.
2. did chitted all the f1 sweetcorns and put in healthy looking/good chitted one in the paper pots and was finally left with non chitted tiny seeds. Didnt want to throw them away so filled a 5" pot and put all 4 of them in it. to my surprise they have romped taller than the paper pots ones

Now the question Does size really matters?

[Trikidiki]

In the long run it probably won't make much difference. The seed leaves soon shrivel and then they're all the same. It may give them a slight head start, How deep you plant them is likely to make more of a difference. If they are sown deep the plant has to use more of the seeds food reserve just to get to the surface, once there the true leaves start to emerge. If you plant shallow then the plant is up and producing more true leaves before the seeds food reserves are consumed.

Bigger isn't always better. With shallots you will get larger but fewer to harvest if you plant smaller bulbs. The larger bulbs are likely to divide into more bulbils which will probably not grow so large. I was pondering today if I could split up a shallot into seperate bulbils after it had shooted. Might try it tomorrow.

[blackbob]

I noticed when sowing larger seeds like broad beans and runner beans that there is a large variation in seed size. But smaller seeds like french beans seem fairly evenly sized.
 Logic says that the larger seeds will have more chance of producing a good crop, so should I be selecting those to sow first, or does it not matter in the long run?
Sorry if this is a daft question - blame it on the wine!

Elaine

still lots of disagreement on this subject regards growth potential.
sow the big ones together and sow the small ones together.that seems to work and minimises over shading of unequal sized plants.

[Elaine G]

Thanks for your replies everyone. As usual a diverse selection
It looks as though I should carry on sowing all the seeds despite their size, but start with the biggest ones!

Elaine

[Trikidiki]

It reminds me of the instrucions you get when thinning mixed flower seeds. Most advice is to remove the weaker seedlings. My theory is that it may be that the different colours produce different size seedlings so if you remove all the smaller ones you may be removing a particular colour. My method of thinning mixed varieties is to leave the one nearest the middle of the pot/module regardless of size. Hopefully this prduces a random selection.

[blackbob]

It reminds me of the instrucions you get when thinning mixed flower seeds. Most advice is to remove the weaker seedlings. My theory is that it may be that the different colours produce different size seedlings so if you remove all the smaller ones you may be removing a particular colour. My method of thinning mixed varieties is to leave the one nearest the middle of the pot/module regardless of size. Hopefully this prduces a random selection.

it's a strange thing,but some of the major break throughs in plant selection have come about thanks to the growing on of the weakest of seedlings.cauliflower AYR springs to mind.
also some of the sweetest scented sweet peas come from the weakest of seedlings.
thought being that they are a poor strain that is in the process of dying out so put all the energy into attracting pollinating insects.
very plausable theory that needs more research.

[Elaine G]

Well I must confess I don't much like this idea that you throw away something that has taken the trouble to grow
So, I generally sow in a tray, far enough apart to seperate the seedlings, and then transplant on. That way I don't feel like a murderer!
(I don't have the same qualms about slugs though )

Elaine