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a little dressing on the side, please

Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2006
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by DeeLuzon on April 26, 2006 11:50 AM
this is one of those admissions of ignorance/stupidity that everyone encourages novices to make in order to learn. so, here goes... what, exactly, are meant by "side dressing" and "top dressing" when discussing feeding/fertilizing a growing plant? I have deduced, but never read anything specific.

thanks in advance

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If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.
- Oscar Wilde
by Longy on April 26, 2006 01:41 PM
I reckon that's a great question. I hope this answer, which is only my interpretation of the terms, is sufficient.

A side dressing is an extra application of fert or lime etc. It would be done as an extra to the regular soil preparation which has occurred. For example, you may have a bed ready to receive tomatoes, all tilled and manured and composted but as tomatoes like potash, you could give them a side dressing of sulphate of potash. Similarly, cabbages may like a side dressing of a nitrogen based organic fertilizer like chicken manure pellets. So i see it as meaning an extra application of something, specific to the plant being grown.

Top dressing is when you cover an entire area with soil or sand and allow the plant, such as lawn grass, to grow up thru it. Or you may top dress a vegie bed with compost. Then till it in.

Again, these are only my interpretations.

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The secret is the soil.
by DeeLuzon on April 26, 2006 07:19 PM
thanks!

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If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.
- Oscar Wilde
by weezie13 on May 04, 2006 12:55 AM
DeeLuzon,
Never apologize for asking questions,
we alllllll were beginers at some point of time..
And that is how you/we learn something...

I think Longy gave you a great answer.... [thumb] [flower]

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2

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