Re: Dire's video today, if tons of people forget to put the gold powder, maybe the mod should help them along.

I would propose a bunch of particles (smoke maybe?) hissing out of the ground where the powder is supposed to go if a sapling grows without any powder.

Perhaps you can also prevent the sapling from growing by cancelling the event maybe, I don't know, I'm not that skilled of a modder. (Otherwise I would open a PR.) (I might still try and open a PR.)

I haven't seen any videos of people forgetting the gold powder, and then not realizing that they forgot it. They always just say "oh, I forgot the gold powder" after a few seconds and then tend not to forget it again. For that reason, I don't think there's any change in the way the ritual of the forest works necessary.