By Jan65
North East England,
United Kingdom 
Another heather question ... when planting a heather do you have to plant it in full ericaceous compost, or do you just mix some ericaceous/peat in with normal compost? Do all heathers require ericaceous/peat or do some not need it at all?
23 Oct, 2011
Answers
Thank you Moon grower.
23 Oct, 2011
You're welcome
23 Oct, 2011
But I find that the winter flowering Ericas are less fussy about having a very acid soil. Mine are doing well on just the acid side of neutral.
23 Oct, 2011
Steragram you made the point yourself 'on the acid side of neutral' if it were the alkaline side you would have a problem. Eric's don't necessarily need the soil to be more than slightly acidic. You can often grow them in neutral soil, what you can't do with most of them is grow in alkaline soil.
23 Oct, 2011
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Calluna vulgaris needs to be grown in ericaceous compost or acidic soil... this is the ling you see growing over Scottish hillsides in a 'soil' that is primarily peat.
Erica carnea is the winter flowering heather and also requires an acidic and well drained soil or ericaceous compost. Erica cinerea also requires acidic soil or ericaceous compost.
Erica x darleyensis and Erica erigena are both lime tolerant.
All heathers need to be grown in full sun to part shade.
23 Oct, 2011