Over the winter, I looked around the Internet for info on growing cranberries from seed. There isn't very much, since most people who want to grow them simply buy plants that have been propagated from existing varieties. But seeds, like people, are a genetic mixup and plants grown from seed would be different from the parents as well as different from each other. I thought it would be interesting to see what variations I would find in a batch of plants grown from seed.
I found conflicting information about the temperatures the seeds needed to sprout. Some sources said they needed warm temperatures and other said to keep them cool. Another source said that variation in temperature was important. Every source said they needed acidic, sandy soil, and the professional database I consulted noted that the seeds must be exposed to light in order to sprout--so they should not be buried, but left on the surface.
I mixed equal parts of sand and peat moss, put it in a pot, and sprinkled the seeds on top:
This seemed like it would make the seeds dry out too much, so I enclosed the entire pot in a plastic bag to keep in the moisture, and put it out in the yard, where it would go through a variety of temperatures.
Now it's time to wait. If this doesn't work, then I'll keep researching it and try again next year. My yard is not exactly great cranberry habitate, so If I get any plants, I'll plant them upstate on some land owned by my family.
For more info on growing cranberries, go to http://www.mofga.org/Publications/MaineOrganicFarmerGardener/Winter20042005/Cranberries/tabid/1278/Default.aspx