Side-dressing with manure has long been practiced by organic gardeners, but is no longer recommended because of concerns about spreading human pathogens. If you plan to sell products as "organic," you must wait at least 120 days between application and harvest if the edible portion of the crop comes into direct contact with the soil, or 90 days if the edible portion never touches the soil.

Properly composted manure makes an excellent side-dressing. Scatter a band of compost down each side of the row. Place each band at the edge of the root zone and work lightly into the soil surface. For individual plants, open a furrow encircling the plant and fill it with compost, then cover. If a mulch is present, rake it back at the edge of the root zone to apply the band of compost, then re-cover with the mulch.

The nutrient value of manures is low and most times unknown. Well aged, heat-treated manures may be pathogen free, but the soluble plant nutrients may already have leached out, deceasing its supposed value. Though adding organic matter improves soil fertility, manures and plant residues are not balanced fertilizers, and soils require additional fertilizer. Overuse of manures can add so much salt (sodium chloride) to the soil that plant growth is harmed. Have your soil tested regularly to determine its nutrient levels and whether additions are necessary.