I think they rag on Miracle Grow because awhile back they started adding fertilizer to it. People that were having luck with it saw their plants die from too much fertilizer and others never saw any seeds sprout because of the nutes. I believe that to be the story.
I've said this a few times in the past.
MG gets ragged on because a lot of newbies buy it and roll with it. The grow fails and MG is an easier target then blaming themselves.
MG soil needs no nutes for 2 months min. Its high in N, good for vegging.
Adding nutes to a seed(ling) is just a *bad* thing to do. But the time released balls aren't going to keep a bean from popping. I'd say bum seeds.
There are quite a few MG growers here, at all levels. FDD likes the MG MC soil. (or was that Fletch?)
I have yet to have a plant die in the MG soil. Seeds or clones.
I like buying only flowering nutes.