For vegetables to produce lush, continuous growth throughout the season, they need a uniform supply of nutrients. However, many chemical fertilizers are very soluble, so the initial application may leach beyond the root zone before the growing season ends. Thus, many gardeners sidedress their crops with an extra application of fertilizer during the growing season. The usual rate is 5 TBS/10 feet of row (Tablespoons) of a high nitrogen fertilizer such as ammonium nitrate or urea. Asparagus requires twice as much, and potatoes should receive about 7 TBS/10 feet row. Place the fertilizer in bands about 6 inches to both sides of the rows, then rake it in and water. A combination of chemical fertilizer, organic fertilizer, and mulch makes a good side dressing. The chemical fertilizers give the initial boost required by young plants; organic fertilizers provide nutrients uniformly throughout the season; and mulch keeps the soil more evenly moist and the nutrients more uniformly available

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