Black cinder/obsidian

[LJG]

Is there anyone in Hawaii that would mind getting a few box loads of the crushed black cinder/obsidian like found in the Hawaiin mixes like Jeff Marcus uses? The stuff can be shipped via Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Boxes from the USPS - 12” x 12” x 5.5.

Willing to pay for time, effort and whatever else. I have spent days driving all over looking for this stuff in SoCal and the best I can find is the crushed pumice or colored volcanic decorative stuff. I need the crushed black cinder/obsidian as it has the minerals needed by many of my pain in the azz NewCal plants I grow in pots.

[LJG]

No longer needed. Thanks.

[Cycadcenter]

No longer needed. Thanks.

Hey Len,

Hanson's has crushed black scoria available in Mira Mesa.

Bruce

[LJG]

Thanks Bruce. I could find crushed black scoria and the powered lava stuff but never the hawaiin like cinder/obsidian. I think that is silver bullet for stopping NewCal seedling palm death!

I hope.

[Matt in SD]

Hansen/A1 stopped carrying the black scoria a few months ago. I was seriously bummed.

Matt

[pogobob]

Len, Southwest boulder & stone in Fallbrook has cinder by the ton! Didn't you get my text? Besides, New Caledonia is not a volcanic island, so why are you fixated on cinder? Just because the growers in Hawaii use it doesn't mean anything other than that's all they have available in bulk. They can grow palms just as well in marbles or anything else because of the climate.

[LJG]

Bob, I did get the text. And I checked and it is the decrotive stuff. Not the obsidian based stuff.

Bob, I love the NewCal stuff and it is not easy to grow as you well know. The seedling stage being the toughest (and not just palms, but the cool shrubs and flowering NewCal plants too). I have found that the plants live forever in Jeff's mix. As soon as they are moved to any other type of mix, many die. I am not alone here. How many people have any Tomentosa's left alive out of the hundreds that went around? I know of two people here in SoCal. In doing research and taking to some soil nerds, it really seems the black obsidian cinder is loaded with minerals and I am betting it is ones the NewCals like. Mixing 75% conder with the soil-less mix with the mycorrhiza ready in it, I am banking this will help me get the things up to a better planting size. Who knows.....

[pogobob]

Well I hope you are right, but it seems to me cinder would be devoid of any minerals, as it is just inert glass. Jeffs potting mix looks like cinder and peat 50/50 with osmacote tossed in. That type of mix seems to dry out too fast here, but may work out in your greenhouse.

[LJG]

Well I hope you are right, but it seems to me cinder would be devoid of any minerals, as it is just inert glass. Jeffs potting mix looks like cinder and peat 50/50 with osmacote tossed in. That type of mix seems to dry out too fast here, but may work out in your greenhouse.

Bob you are right, striaght obsidian is just glass. But for whatever reason the Hawaiin stuff seems to be mixed with minerals (or something) and works great as a soil ammendment as I have witnessed over and over again. I have no real facts to why as am just trying something new here. Just some anecdotal evidence working to my hypotheses. Its science, you wouldn't undertsand it.

The Marcus mix works great in the greenhouse and if careful, the shade house.

[MattyB]

I just saw some black volcanic stuff while browsing around at KRC Rock in Lakeside, off the 67 @ Riverford. I think it might be the "decorative" stuff you're refering to though because I don't think it's sharp like the Hawaii stuff that'll cut you.

As a side note they had some pretty amazing colored gravels! Even a natural green color. Best selection I've ever seen. I think I'm going to top my gravel paths with a mix called Palm Springs Gold. It seems to have some lime stone whites and most of the pieces have a sparkle to them from quarts I assume.