A pot experiment was carried out to compare the biological characteristics of four winter wheat varieties that were released at different times over the past four decades: Yuanfeng 998 (recently released), Xiaoyan6 (released in the 1990s), Xiannong39 (released in the 1970s and 1980s) and Baimangmai (released in the 1960s). Wheat seeds from each variety were divided into two size classes (small or large) and then sown with one of three methods: small seeds sown alone (SA-S), large seeds sown alone (SA-B) and small seeds and large seeds sown together (ST). The experiment also included four fertilizer treatments: no fertilizer (CK), nitrogen fertilizer (N), phosphorus fertilizer (P), and nitrogen + phosphorus (NP) fertilizer. The results showed that plant height was significantly different among varieties as well as seed size and fertilizer treatments (p<0.01). The recently released variety, Yuanfeng 998, was the tallest variety at the seedling stage and before wintering, but Baimangmai was the tallest variety at grain filling. Plants in the large seed treatments were significantly taller than plants in the small seed treatments at the seedling stage and before wintering, but there was no difference in plant height between the two seed size treatments at grain filling. Plants in the P and NP fertilizer treatments were taller than plants in the N and CK fertilizer treatments at the seedling stage and before wintering. Among the four fertilizer treatments, plant height was tallest in the NP fertilizer treatment. Variety, seed size, and fertilizer treatment had a significant effect on the number of tillers and total leaf areas of wheat. The number of tillers of Baimangmai, Xiannong 39 and Xiaoyan6 ranged from 4.37 tillers/plant to 4.74 tillers/plant. In comparison, Yuanfeng 998 only had 2.95 tillers/plant. Application of P and NP fertilizer increased the number of tillers. There were more tillers in the large seed treatment compared to the small seed treatment for all four varieties. Yuanfeng 998 had the largest total leaf areas; Baimangmai had the smallest total leaf areas. Total leaf areas were larger in the NP fertilizer treatment compared to the other fertilizer treatments. The effect of fertilizer on plant height, tiller numbers, and leaf area had a greater effect on small seeds of recently released varieties compared to small seeds of varieties that were released earlier.