SIZE OF SEEDS

Not sure how it works with potatoes, but the smallest onion sets are supposed to be the best. Heard a very interesting item on radio 4's food programme about mustard and the size of the seed this week, which certainly gave me lots to think about (turns out that although Colemans preferred larger seed and spent years filtering out the smaller seed, that yields went down without the smaller seed). So it would seem there can be more involved in a good crop than seed size.

When deciding on what seed to save, you should look at the plant not the seed and decide which characteristics you would like to keep going - apply Darwin's theory of selection.  Before modern horticultural techniques, farmers have been doing it since the stone age and especially during the Victorian era to grow grain strains which have higher yields different to the original.

THIS explains how garlic and shallots behave.

Have a look at www.realseeds.co.uk. they have lots of advice about saving seeds too.

Regarding your green potatoes, please throw them away and do not use for seed.

You should always buy fresh certified seed potatoes or you run the risk of disease on your plot

When deciding on what seed to save, you should look at the plant not the seed and decide which characteristics you would like to keep going - apply Darwin's theory of selection.  Before modern horticultural techniques, farmers have been doing it since the stone age and especially during the Victorian era to grow grain strains which have higher yields different to the original.

True. This is exactly the dilemma!  By selecting for the plant itself, rather than its crop or total yield, you could gradually bias the variety's evolution towards big bushy plants with pretty flowers, but with low yields.  I now know that peas are assumed to self, so every pea from one plant will be generically identical.  so I agree with you that I should select for the plant with the heaviest overall yield.  This is what I am looking for. Not show winning pods, or darkest green leaves.  So it doesn't matter if I save scrawny seeds.

P.S same thing applies to the heritage toms I have been growing and saving seeds for 15 years.  After 15 generations I wonder how close I still am to the original variety?  Toms self  too.