It's not necessary to 'pack' soil(preferably potting mix) into your pots. It should be lightly tamped just to get it settled. How dry was the medium before you watered it? It is beneficial to dampen it slightly before using it so it will soak up water more efficiently when you do water in the seeds. If it is too dry, it can repel the water and the the water will run down the side of the pot instead of soaking into the medium.
You can also try bottom watering by setting your pots in a pan or tub in an inch or so of water and leaving them until the medium feels moist on top. HTH

I'd like to know what the potting medium is.

In the future, you can let water do the 'packing' for you. Simply put your potting mix into your pots, then water thoroughly. The particles will settle in loosely without packing tightly, which reduces the oxygen spaces in the container. Oxygen is required for growth.

Your medium should be coarse textured enough that water drains rapidly and immediately with no pooling at the surface.

What you're experiencing might be the natural tendency for soils with large bark or peat fractions to become hydrophobic (water repellent) as their moisture content moves downward past about 30%. Once you DO manage to re-wet it, it should be easier to keep moist; that is of course, if the reason the water isn't moving THROUGH the soil is indeed due to hydrophobic tendencies rather than your mechanical compaction.

I use very fast draining soils that don't/can't compact for herbs. The one you see here is excellent,
{{gwi:1295}}

as is the one seen here, dry, in the middle of this photo
{{gwi:2389}}

Al

Thank you all so much! I should have mentioned in my original post that I just used regular ol' Miracle Gro potting mix. Sorry about that!

Good news--I think that the problem was that the potting mix was maybe just too dry, because it really was like it was waterproof--the soil just wouldn't absorb it. But thanks to a few nice rains over the last few days, the soil is moist and looking good! In fact, some of the little guys are already poking their heads out!

Thank you again for all of your help! My flowers will be happy to hear that I can use water to pack soil, too! :)

Jess

Jess, if you are going to use traditional bagged potting medium, be sure to moisten it FIRST before loading it into the pots. It's crazy how that stuff will shed water.

The top will look saturated but the main volume of the medium will still be bone dry.