I don't know, but I always plant the biggest seeds anyway. Larger tomatoes aside, when you compare the different sizes of different vegetable seeds, the larger seeds always seem to produce more vigorous seedlings that are off to a faster start.

I have read that larger tom seeds produce larger toms. What do you think ? bill w.

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For a given variety when one looks at the seeds after fermentation there often is a range of sizes, but with fermentation the non-viable seeds float to the top so regardless of the seed sizes left, I plant any and all, and don't pick out the largest seeds.

It's the DNA that's important, not the size of the seed, which is related to the endosperm and other structures. If all the DNA is there everything will be fine. And I get the same plants and fruit sizes from the smaller seeds that are viable, as I do the larger seeds.

There's a huge range of seed sizes that are related to specific varieties, so, for instance, from tiny seeds of currant tomatoes and cherries, to the large seeds of varieties such as Earl of Edgecombe and Jaune Flammee, and neither of the latter have large fruits.

Then there are the heart shaped varieties and most of those fruits run around a pound or more and the seeds for most hearts are often quite small, depending on the specific variety.

Carolyn

~~~ but with fermentation the non-viable seeds float to the top so regardless of the seed sizes left, I plant any and all, and don't pick out the largest seeds. ~~~

Thank you for that. I was wondering about the reason for fermenting the seeds. We always just washed in cold water, dried on a paper plate, stored in an envelope or film can and into the seed basket they went. I don't recall gemination problems on a year to year basis but for old seeds, we'd try to sprout some and check the rate.

Just had a half hour down pour. More forcasted the next several days.

Was hoping to get a few more days ripening on the vine on several but there is no sense letting them split.

I think a larger seed of the same variety has more growing material than its smaller siblings. A bigger jar of baby food, if you will. The plant and fruit may reach the same final size, but it seemed to me, when I played with the concept a couple years back, a larger seed produced a more robust seedling.

So, yeah, I always make sure to pick out some of the larger ones when counting out seeds for planting.

-Ed