621225 Tue May 19 20:49:41 -0700 2009 3 62 Gardening 0 4699275 When do you all top dress some fertilizer? I have read about doing it as soon your seeds sprout, then again later. this is my first year using fertilizer (organic). wondering when... Tue May 19 20:49:41 -0700 2009 105701 cleopatra999 1 4699359 I just spread some compost early in the spring and till it in. I don't add anything after that. Tue May 19 21:39:27 -0700 2009 4699275 148886 duck833 1 4700205 I am no pro, but I think that you have to be quite careful with commercial fertilizers on tiny leaves. I "side-dressed" my asparagus bed , rhubarb and roses last week, and "top-dressed" with a 10-10-10 the bare patches on the lawn that I had seeded and put soil on. Then I watered everything...and then, of course, it rained...I am a zone 6a, if that helps. For fruit trees, BTW, its fertizer spikes in the fall after pruning. Wed May 20 08:05:58 -0700 2009 4699275 24738 LJS 1 4700666 "Organic" as in compost? Compost you can spread any time. I usually spread some in April, right now, and some in the fall if I have a good pile. If you're referring to "organic" fertilizers that are in, say, liquid or granule form, these are fast acting and need to put on when they're needed. I think you're in zone 3, so right now is a good time to fertilize with these products. But _what_ are you fertilizing? Some things need more fertilizer than other things. Wed May 20 10:13:51 -0700 2009 4699275 45940 Shazam