Well, it doesn't look like alfalfa, so my guess would be humate.

Seriously, that's what it looks like: liquid humate.

Check out the link below--is that what you bought? It looks like a fine compost + organic fertilizer, but not a potting mix. I'd add a scoop to a container, but I wouldn't expect anything to grow in a whole pot of it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nature's Blend with Alfalfa and Humate

Liquid humate. Have to look that up. But yeah, that's the stuff, and I know that it isn't for containers. I really want to write a nasty letter to the garden center shaming them for not training their employees better. It was the first bag of soil I bought ever, back when I was even greener than I am now LOL (a few short months ago). But I learned fast and all my other containers have wonderful stuff in them. But this one is just gross.

Still burning mad at the garden store. I TOLD him I didn't want it, he told me I did. What did I know? So I caved. I need to write my letter and get over it.

I think boxbeast gave you the right answer, you planted in pure fert. that is burning your plants to death. Dont waste it just dump it in a container to use later to feed your plants, and go get some POTTING soil to plant in, the bag will have potting on it or dont buy it.

Sadly, lots of garden center employees are pretty inexperienced. The pay is pretty low, turnover is high, and by the time you've got enough life experience to know most of the answers (and gardening is a BIG topic to know everything about), you're too old to be dragging shrubs and trees around so you decide to move on before your body falls apart.

Of course there are some wonderful employees out there too, I've met many and had the pleasure to work with some.

What you want to ask for is SOILLESS potting mix. That's the best stuff for containers. Check the ingredients on the bag for things like perlite, vermiculite, peat, coir. Avoid things that say topsoil. A bag of potting soil can be pretty much any kind of dirt and tend to cake up into a brick over time.

Thanks. I figured it out and now have a thriving garden. It's just that first one that was a problem! Yeah, it was months ago, but for some reason it still bugs me. I've been avoiding the pot, shoving it in a corner where I don't have to think about it, but now it's ruining my neighbor's deck so I have to deal with it LOL.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pics of my garden (after I got the right mix!)

Watergal,
True story,i swear.

I was in the K-Mart garden center a couple years ago and i asked the lady for soiless potting mix,she said what??? Not excuse me,pardon me or whatever,just what!!! I repeated myself,and she said there is no such thing and i've worked here for years,which i knew she had.I said excuse me,but yes there is such stuff.She goes,well if there is,it must be an empty bag!!!!! I cracked up,and told her,that's ok i'll go to another garden center,i know they have it.She still didn't believe me.
Kathi

containergirl, loved the photos - your garden is lovely. My grandparents came from Chicago. Great city - except in the winter! Brrrr.

You probably bought animal manure. Before buying potting soil turn the bag over and read every word on the bag. Somewhere, probably, in very small letters will be a statement telling you the contents of the bag. Its best to buy the bags from the will advertised companies that blend the stuff in the bag.