Thanks Greentrees88! I actually don't do anything too crazy with the soil amendments, I always just follow what the label says, though usually at the higher amounts if it is variable. I don't like mixing anything too hot into my soil either - which is why I am a big fan of amendments like feather meal, bone meal, etc. Slow release amendments provide a nice steady supply of nutrients for the whole season and the plants just use what they need when they need it, with no risk of burn. Any fast release nutrients like bat guano I always just top dress with. It is very rare that I ever use any sort of liquid fertilizers except to foliar feed with, though I do soil drench once a month with a few store bought products designed to encourage the soil biology.
I try to get my soil, compost and manure at least a few months before I need it so it has time to cook and cool off. I always buy enough to last me at least 2 years every time I purchase something, so it is nice and mellow when I go to use it. I shoot to have the soil prep done a good two weeks before the planting date.
I don't every try to 'push' my plants like a lot of growers do. Over applying nutrients or soil amendments does far more harm that good and does NOT get you bigger plants. My philosophy with my garden has always been in line with Liebigs Law of the Minimum, also known as The Law of Limiting Factors. Plant performance is not determined by the most abundant resource, but by the most deficient one. Plant growth and performance is held back by limiting factors in the environment. Remove or reduce your limiting factors, and allow mother nature and your plants to do the rest - never 'push' them.
