Try sowing them on a mixture of very finely sieved sphagnum moss and peat,
say around 75% sphagnum/25% peat. A 6mm mesh soil sieve will produce a good
fine mix. The sphagnum holds the moisture well, is acidic and contains
natural fungicides. Soak the mix before sowing, sow the seeds on the surface
and don't cover them with soil. Cover the seed tray with a pane of glass and
keep it in a place that while not too cold does not receive direct
sunlight - around 20C. No further water should be required until
germination.

Ericaceous seeds need light to germinate, but if the conditions are warm,
one sheet of newspaper for shading will keep things cooler and still allow
for enough light to reach the seeds. Once the first seedlings appear slowly
raise the glass cover over a week or so - high humidity is important at this
stage.

The recommended soil mix is very low in nutrients and you will need to feed
the seedlings soon after germination. Most erica family seedlings are very
small and can be difficult to transplant, though in the right conditions
they germinate freely. Try Calluna for speedy results.

Hope this helps
Geoff Bryant
www.hortiphoto.com


"Rene Blom" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I received seeds of Gaultheria's Epigea's Rhododendrons and Vaccinium and
i
have sown these in pure peat and have not covered them.

is it better to place the seedpots in a small propagator 40cm x 60cm in
the
greenhouse so the air is bent or is this not necessery

last year i sow them and left them alone but only some Rhodo's were
germinating

Has someone experience with this

Regards Rene

http://members.home.nl/rene.blom/index.htm