Can you make light potting mix from pre-fertilzed potting mixes by flushing it?

[flexy123]

I always hear that "light" potting mixes with no or little nutes are best for seedlings.
The potting mixes I can buy in stores here are all great, but they're pre-fertilized like pretty much any potting mix. (I don't see any special light or seedling mixes, unless I buy online)

My thought is, can't I just put this normal potting mix in a pot and flush it with plenty of water from the hose, and then it flushes out all the nutes and salts and I get "light" potting mix?

Anyone did this already?

 

[Rifleman]

How will you know when you have flushed it to an acceptable level?

 

[flexy123]

I am thinking simple here....like I just flush with the hose for a few minutes? Even if all the nutes are gone, it would actually be good for seedling mixes?

 

[Atulip]

You could just cut it with some peat moss or something. Add some perlite to add aeration as well.

 

[Rifleman]

Have you considered digging some soil from the yard? Then baking it to kill any parasites and using it?

 

[flexy123]

All that stuff is already in my potting mix! "The mixture of peat, coir(coco), compost and perlite brings lightness and aeration to the root system"

So basically it's an ideal mix, minus the pre-fert.

 

[Rifleman]

Be sure to do a write up, maybe even follow up with a journal so we can see how you do it, and how successful it is. That's why we are all here at to share and learn.

 

[flexy123]

Yeah I mean I just did it. Not sure whether I will be able to see any difference with growing.

What I did, I just dumped a bunch of mix into a fine mesh waste bucket and then I flushed it GOOD with water.
(I found putting it into a normal pot with holes would take WAY too long for the water to drain because the mix is clogging the holes.)

Will see

 

[MrMiracleGro]

Cut it with Fertilome, ProMix, or another inert medium.

Remember, no nutes for the first two weeks of veg.

 

[Major PITA]

Almost everyone has access to peat moss and perlite. Mix them about 2:1 and you will be good to go for seedlings/cuttings. It is usually cheaper, too.

 

[Richard Richardson]

I reuse potting mix from flushed and finished plants for seedlings, no problem