What is top-dressing?

Question

I've got a few plants that need to be 'top dressed' in Spring, can anyone tell me what this means? thanks

Sorry 'huhwhereami' this website actually doesn't! sorry.

BUT WHAT IS IT!

Answer 1

Firstly, remember that top-dressing is a complement to mulch, so you'll want to have your mulch down and then lay over it with the top-dressing components.
Now, as to what exactly is top-dressing?
"Top Dressing is just the term for when you add dry fertilizer on top of the soil next to the plant. The benefit of top dressing is that the fertilizer seeps into the soil slowly with watering and rain feeding over a longer period of time the water-soluable foliar fertilizers. Also, you do not have to get the foliage damp, which can lead to a risk of various problems if it does dry out or has poor air circulation around the leaves. In addition you do not risk disturbing the roots of your plants by digging the fertilizer into the soil. Your plants roots are busy gathering nutrients from the soil, and to disrupt their flow would hinder your plants growth and may disrupt their fruiting."

Components of general top-dressing:
Any type of supplement that will add nutrients, such as compost.
"Supplementing with an organic amendment such as liquid seaweed or fish emulsion, or a biostimulant, will provide some of the trace nutrients lacking in an inorganic plant fertilizer. A top dressing of compost or worm castings is another effective way to add organic nutrients."
How to make your own compost:
http://www.diynet.com/diy/sw_soil_improvement/article/0,2029,DIY_14370_2270566,00.html
Happy Gardening!

Answer 2

Topdressing is a proven practice often completed in conjunction with aeration and seeding in turf maintenance programs and renovation procedures. Topdressing adds organic soil amendments, which improves the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soil. This enhances turf quality and vigor and improves its resistance to stress.

Today, high quality compost combined with the advanced Express Blower application system makes both residential and commercial turf maintenance virtually effortless and with far superior results.
Benefits of Aeration & Topdressing

• Increases organic matter
content of soil.

• Improves soil percolation rate.

• Increases water holding
capacity of soil.

• Reduces soil compaction.

• Improves turf rooting and durability.

• Reduces thatch.

• Supplies plant nutrients.

• Can biologically control certain turf diseases.

Answer 3

"Topdressing" usually refers to adding some kind of fertilizer. "Topdress" fertilizer, specifically, is usually the slow-release type, so it lasts over time. Scotts puts out a "Topdress plus minors" fertilizer we use in the nursery on container grown plants but I don't know if it is widely available in the garden center.

Generally the plants don't care WHAT brand of food you use on them since it is ALL more than Mother Nature gives them. Some would argue with me on that point as they have their favorites. Follow label directions.

Answer 4

here is a website that exhttp://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_floral_arrangements/article/0,1793,HGTV_3418_1372238,00.htmlplains it all

Answer 5

IT'S YOU HAVE 2CHILDREN KEEP THEM IN WARM CLIMATE .