That is a term people that do not garden organically often use and it means spreading their non organic fertilizer alongside the planting row in a straight band in the space between where the plants are. So you have a row of potatoes planted and on each side of that row you would lay down a band of synthetic fertilizer.

Or you can place some organic fertilizer in a band too. Not all gardeners have reached the level of organic matter and activity in their soil that kimmsr has.

so is banded and side dressing the same thing?

Banded best describes putting fertilizer in a strip near but not touching the seed pieces or seeds....at planting time.
Side dressing is adding fertilizer later in the growing season...usually about 40 days later.

ok ok I found an diagram on the net that show banding just in case anyone else is interestd

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:162284}}

Banding and side dressing are essentially the same thing. Time of application has nothing to do with what you are doing or the terminology.