Jane McGary wrote > >Uli what is Seramis? > > It is a product available in Europe that is made from porous hardened clay > in granules. I think there is a similar product available in North America, > particularly on the East Coast where they do not have pumice. Pumice would > be an equivalent and is undoubtedly cheaper in most of North America, even > where they have to ship it in. However, it should be mentioned that pumice > will decompose over a period of several years in an acidic environment, so > if you mix it with peat, as I do, it loses its beneficial qualities after 4 > or 5 years. The product that comes to mind is Turface, a fired clay product, also available under the Schultz label as 'Clay Soil Conditioner' Schultz also markets what appears to be the same product for use as aquarium substrate, but the price is about triple. Read more about it here http//http://profileproducts.com/productinfo_turface.htm… http//http://www.schultz.com/procc.htm > I agree with Alberto Castillo's posting regarding the method of growing > "flat black" seeds. I do almost exactly as he does and have never had any > problems germinating Rhodophiala, etc., whether freshly collected or stored > for a period of a year or more in the refrigerator. (However, I do not grow > tropical species, which may respond differently.) I've always considered > these multi-step methods such as flotation and germinating in bags in the > refrigerator to be space-saving but labor-intensive, and I have more space > than time. Floating seeds makes germination fun to observe, however I have a tendency to let the seeds stay afloat too long at which point losses to decay can be heavy. Ken East S.F. Bay Area, Ca. USDA Zone 9 -2°C to 38°C