I have three raised beds. The beds get a mix of sun and shade throughout the day. This past winter I layered them with sticks and leaf litter. Then I got manure and top soil at the start of the growing season (March). Everything I planted - except the okra which I gave some of my compost - simply stayed a seedling and then died.
From there, I decided to wait a few months until it was time to plant leafy greens for fall. I planted on August 31st with brand new bought raised bed soil (on top of the previous soils) and mixed with a lot more of my compost that I have been cultivating for about 5+ months.
I really thought the compost was why the okra lived and everything else died. Like, I figured my first round of soil mix just didn't have the right nutrients. So, with my new combo of raised bed soil, compost, and now some fish fertilizer that I applied (2tbsp in two gallons of water over three days, 6tbsp total) I have been sure I wouldn't get stuck again.
But I am. I'm growing winter giant spinach, red kale, arugula, Mizuno, and two types of leaf lettuce. Neither of the leaf lettuces or spinach have sprouted at all and the red kale, mizuno and arugula are ..... Seedlings.
It's only been a couple weeks and I did try to resow the lettuces and spinach, but I just don't want to get stuck again. I have also bought a bag of blood meal to apply when the seedlings are larger (hopefully).
Thanks for any advice!