side-dress

verb

ˈsīd-ˌdres 

variants or sidedress or side dress

side-dressed or sidedressed or side dressed; side-dressing or sidedressing or side dressing; side-dresses or sidedresses or side dresses

transitive verb

: to place or apply plant nutrients on or in the soil near the roots of (a growing crop)

These plants are heavy feeders, and will also need to be side-dressed with applications of fertilizer after four weeks of growth.

—Anne Moyer Halpin

Examples of side-dress in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If the beans seem to need a mid-season boost, side-dress them with a slow-release organic fertilizer. —Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above