Please keep an eye on the area and report back to us around Memorial Day and 4th of July. Had you dumped a similar amount of organic fertilizer I predict you would have had a dark green color but not the extraordinary growth. That would be an interesting side-by-side test. A lawn on an organic program seems to have growth regulators in place so you don't end up mowing as much grass as a turf on a chemical program.

Ha ha. Pretty awful when a big event in your life gets to be a trip to Walmart to get your dead battery checked and charged. I need to get out more. Obviously. I thought I saw something about Walmart on the cheap seeds thread but never would have driven out there just to get seeds even 20-cent seeds. But it's kind of weird how things play out. Tiffy posted a photo of some gorgeous Sweet William she WS'ed. I thought no sense in paying shipping costs to order more after all I've already ordered. But I really wanted some. So I got 'em. They look pretty but doubt any will be as gorgeous as the one Tiffy got. I don't remember seeing any veggie seeds (or herbs) but was pretty distracted with all the things on my mind. Those might have been on another rack or more will come in. These are American Seed Company and say expiration date 12/10 so I assume they're fresh. When I get in one of those huge cavernous stores, my anxiety kicks in, and I just feel sensory overload. There was one other flower I thought of, oh I'm tired and can't think of it. I thought of it and was a little tempted. Oriental Poppy. The photo showed a red one and a peach one. I didn't get any peach ones out of all the poppies I ordered. There is a Dollar Tree store down on the other end but I was in no mood to run in here and there. I make it sound like it's a day trip. It's at most 4+ miles out by the interstate. I just hate it along that street, lots of the big name stores and condos, eating places, all kinds, looks totally unplanned and just not a pleasant drive. I always say I hate Walmart, but when I do have to go there, I always find something. The crazy thing is that I buy a car and keep it until it won't run any more, got this one in about 94. Well, not too long after, in the middle of winter of course, the battery goes dead. It's fuzzy, but I got one there because they were one of the few places open that late, and that was when they didn't have any tire and lube annex so some nice fellow just came out and put it in my car for me right by the front door of the store. I've been working on that same lifetime warranty for four batteries now lol, works as long as you have the same car. But if this one goes dead again, I'm not sure what I'll do. It's new this past fall, a replacement for a new one last year that did the exact same thing, a dud. So that's why I had to go to Walmart today. They didn't charge me anything for checking and charging the battery so that was nice. While I was finishing that up, I paid for my seeds there because I'd already paid for my other stuff at the regular checkout. The guy was looking through my seeds when I said 20 cents was a good deal. No way did I say anything about winter sowing. I'm going to sow those Sweet William tomorrow. And my T&M order came today so hope to get most of those sowed, too.

It's ok as long as you follow directions for planting depth. Just tamp the mix onto your pot - lightly, just to firm it up. Water it to help it settle. Poke a hole with a pencil tip or toothpick of the proper depth. If instructions are to "lightly cover", just lay the seed directly on top of the medium and then crumble some medium over the top (or do the same with fine vermiculite) and very gently firm that. A dampened toothpick can be used to pick up very fine seed one at a time. Can't help with the wet paper towel thing. If I want to do that, I start in fine vermiculite in a flat and prick seedlings out. BOTTOM WATER or very fine mist to watet fine seeds, BTW, so you don't wash them deeper into the medium by accident.

Greg, unless you are willing to put in a good amount of effort, and what can for many a new gardener mean quite a bit of money, it's often best to learn and build a good soil over time. The learning will include a decision to grow, or not to grow organically, and to what extent that is important to you and your family. Many, like myself, religiously avoid what we consider poisons - such as chemical herbicides and pesticides. However, if someone where to give me synthetic fertilizers such as MG, I wouldn't turn it down. Because I have a personal issue with supporting that industry, I wouldn't purchase such products, and I even recommend that others avoid such products. However, even today I added a 6-12-12 farm co-op synthetic fertilizer to my eggplants. It was free, and would have gone to a landfill had I not 'rescued' it. Chemically speaking, for the most part, as long as it's used as a supplement instead of the 'backbone' of the soil structure, the differences between synthetic and organic fertilizers are hardly worth the arguments that sometimes arise. I'll sparingly use that fertilizer until it's gone. Using such products on decorative houseplants is more practical for many who are just starting out. I have found that organics are much 'better' (well rounded, higher buffering capacity, supports the natural environment in which the plants have evolved to grow, etc, etc...) for my life-style and the health of the garden. As others have suggested, MG will not truly replace a good soil, but it will support plant life. In fact, for plants to grow and - depending on your personal definitions - thrive, soil isn't required at all. Hydroponics prove that assertion. As for 'quality soil' brought into your space, unless you know the history of that product forget that word 'quality'. Even the best store-bought top soils are lacking in many nutrients. Depending on where you live and what was done to it in the past, your regular backyard 'dirt' may be better. I have clay where I live, and while it lacks organic matter, it is EXTREMELY nutritious. So, learn what organic matter is available to you locally. Start and learn about your own compost piles. One good rule of thumb (and yes this is simplistic,) for a long-term healthy garden, feed the worms, not the plants. Then learn about the conditions each plant enjoys and make the minor adjustments accordingly. Next year, very early, get a soil test done. Learn what and how to add organics to your soil. Try not to over-think it. Forests and natural environments do quite nicely by just dropping last year's growth on the top of the ground. The key to nature, as others have suggested, is the structure and biology of the soil. Worms, good bugs, fungi, bacteria and soil microbes are where it's at. Learn how to 'farm' those critters and you'll do well. As for now, if you notice pale colors, or the plants seem to be showing unhealthy signs, the internet is a modern gardener's friend. Search the conditions you see, and act accordingly. As you've already done, ask questions. If you choose, add synthetic supplements such as MG erring on the side of less-can-be-more. It's easy to add more after a week or so, but sometimes quite impossible to remove. Read the labels as especially the liquids have a high bio-availability. Since you jumped in, if you do notice issues, synthetics can get you through the early days and even benefit the plants until you can improve your knowledge and skill.