Water deeply and more often, try to water twice a week and put on at least an inch of water each time, more if the soil is already dry. The liquid MG would be a very good idea, too, perhaps 2-3 applications about 7 to 10 days apart to help it along.

I don't know enough about corn silage to answer that. If it has mold, it might be a human health hazard due to spores, so be careful.

Thanks! any other opinions or info on the fertilizer or silage?

Did you plant transplants or seeds? Transplants can be mulched now, but seeds will need to wait until they've sprouted, so you don't cover them up.

You've probably already fertilized enough since it's slow release and you added composted manure. Too much fertilizer isn't a good thing and burns plants.

You could mulch with dried grass clippings (herbicide residue free - doesn't sprout grass in your garden) and a blend of used coffee grounds from a local coffee shop. Free & easy to blend in a wheelbarrow or bucket before spreading. Don't let it touch plant stems. Will keep moisture in soil between waterings in your dry climate and slowly feed the soil as it breaks down. Dry soil surrounding garden sucks out moisture from your garden.

If you post a photo of the corn silage possibly someone could comment about it's use.

Wear a mask if moldy dust. If it's been kept dry it's likely uncomposted, so not brown & crumbly like compost.

You could remove it & mix with other compost ingredients then keep it covered, moist, & turn it like a hot compost pile to use in a few weeks to a month as mulch if you desire. Soil forum on GW will have information on that.

Alternatively you can purchase bagged manure or if you have the money compost to use as 1-2" mulch layer. Again, the used coffee grounds are excellent to put on the bottom layer touching soil, then the bagged product for a uniform look. If your garden is large enough & you have access to a pick up you can purchase a bulk load of compost from a soil & bark company in your area. Too spendy for me, so I've not tried it myself.

Some manures can be spread on growing gardens like rabbit, alpaca & llama if you don't mind the pellets.

from http://gardening.wsu.edu/stewardship/compost/manure/manure2.htm
Wait 120 days from the time of applying fresh manure to the time of harvest of high-risk crops (those where the edible part is in contact with the soil: such as root and leaf crops and strawberries) if those crops are not always cooked. Wait at least 90 days for other crops. If you apply manure within 60 days of harvest, use only aged (for at least a year) or hot-composted manure.

Hope that helps,
Corrine

Save the silage and till it in next spring.

I think the silage would be great to mulch or otherwise use on the garden if it is well rotted, which it should be by now. The warning about mold is a valid concern though. I got very sick once as a kid due to silage mold.

I use copious quantities of horse manure mixed with straw from the neighbor's horse stalls with terrific results on clay soils. It sounds like you are doing the right things. Just keep learning via trial and error.