Before common strains became "common", commercial nurseries were constantly seeking new ways for increasing yield.

More yield = more profit.  Simple economics.

In the creation of strains which would be grown for profit a number of factors were taken into account to create the strains which would grow the largest amount of the tastiest fruit.

   even at this stage hybrid-vigour is becoming apparent

Whilst test-crossing individual strains, nursery scientists noticed a strange phenomena.

Certain sets of genetics were better matched than others.  The proginy of these crosses were noted to grow faster, stronger and bigger, displaying a condition which would become known later as 'hybrid-vigour'.

So depending on the ratios of the parent-genes within the embryo, your chosen seed (from a pack of how many?), could contain the most, or the least amount of this 'hybrid-vigour'.

"But how do we find out which seeds have the most vigour?", I hear you ask. 

Make them work
Last pack of tomatoe seeds I bought cost just a couple of pounds (UK), and contained in the region of 100 individual seeds.

Ordinarily I would shake out a few onto some compost and germinate them. But these days I'm looking for a display of 'hybrid vigour' from my plants before deciding which ones to grow on to fruition. 

Peat Pots + Cubes
Using rockwool and peat pots is, for me at least, the easiest and most convenient way of germinating my seeds.

I just sprinkle about three seeds per 1 inch cube, which has been pre-soaked with a weak nutrient solution of canna rhizotonic, and place the whole ensemble in an airing cupboard or similar dark space.

When the tomatoes germinate, they do so pretty much in unison, leaving you with an even canopy to your forest of tomatoes.

At this stage they need light.  Lots of it, as this is the fuel source.

From this point on they can be potted on as normal, or planted in the greenhouse/garden.

As the plants grow on, they will eventually compete with each other for available nutrients and light, with only the very strongest making it all the way to fruiting.

The gardener, can be sure he or she is getting the very best out of a packet of seeds.  And any that are left, I generally throw away and start the next spring with a new (smaller) pack, again searching out the plants with the most vigour.

From the original 30 plants I was left with only the ten strongest, which fruited all summer. 

(also applies to cannabis - Ed ;-)

http://cannazine.co.uk
Buy Cannabis Seeds

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