I know about improvement but was in no shape to mix all that stuff in myself. Was lucky to get someone to rototill it for me. We ground up all the grass and everything, the grass was healthy. Then it took several months to settle down to level as it was mounded for months (and bare). I have all that stuff you mentioned, but it is too late to do the whole works. My idea of gardening is dig, chop it up as fine as possible, plant, then use Miracle Gro (not on my new roses). I just had 12 roses planted spaced out there, the horticultural student who did that for me thought the soil was ok and drained well. Thanks for the advice, will read the link tomorrow. I'll worry about the other seeds later, but you did give me an idea. Baby's breath grows in a huge mound if you are lucky, don't need a whole row of the stuff, so I can scoop the soil out a few places and replace with potting soil. BB you cover 1/8 inch which is a little better than surface sow. My peat I found gets crusty when dry even mixed with the potting soil, probably mixed in too much the last batch. Maybe if I throw in some more pearlite that will help. The potting soil holds moisture better than anything yet I've worked with, and then I can mist like you said, although if it heats up again, it will be like four times a day and not every other day because the surrounding dry soil will grab the water before I put the hose away so I'll water that, too. Thanks a lot for the help. Maybe I can get it a little better, not sure how now, don't have a composter but can dress it with something at some point. Just can't work it in, it will have to leach down and let the plants do the work, maybe throw leaves on there in the fall, plenty of those. I wish I could do everything exactly the right way, but I have to do most of it by myself and do well to get anything done. I think I'm having more rototilling done, and this time I'll throw that stuff on there during the process and let it get worked in that way. I didn't know any better before. Sorry I'm so long-winded.

It will be awhile. I have vegetable plants and flowers setting in my garage now waiting to plant. Local weather is saying we will have rain most of the week. If you already have the plants just keep them in a dry area and where they can get as much light as they can. The rain water will be great to water the plants when needed. If you plant in wet soil, the ground will harden around the plants and they may die. I will wait until a shovel in the ground brings drier soil.

If anything, unless you don't have drainage holes, it will just stay evenly moist.If I could leave mine in rain all day too for days, I would..What does the mix feel like? Does it feel sopping wet, or just moist? I would though make sure it is getting fertilized on a regular basis at this time or that you are using a slow release one along with your regular regimen)

"I think if you wanted dry skin, use a hair dryer..." I have not tried this one but it seems as logical as the other techniques about which I have read. Another method is to leave it in the refrigerator, uncovered, for three hours. Apparently these ideas figure that dry skin leads to crisp skin but I am seeing that it only leads to tough skin and now with Baking Soda, soap tasting skin. I used to believe in "Good Eats" but I am reading that they tend to be more show and trendy rather than testing. After a few of these techniques, I doubt that the effort is worth it to dry the skin before roasting.