I will top dress at least once in the beginning of the spring and once in September. I will also dress the area if I am transplanting or adding new plants to area of a bed.

I will use what I have on hand or can get from friends for some of it. Some of my favorites I will use are, donkey manure, mushroom compost, cottonseed compost, my home made compost, landscape mix, and top soil. Finished of with hardwood mulch from the city program.

I have been pondering this. Should I rake away this season's mulch then top dress, then put the mulch back? Or what? Top dress over the mulch? Remove the mulch and put it in the compost pile and add new mulch? Does it matter? I was thinking of using a mix of compost, cotton burr mulch, coffee grounds and worm castings as a top dressing.

I rake off the mulch first. Then I use a hand-held cultivator to work in the compost trying not to disturb any plant roots. I then rake the mulch back into place. Sometimes it is a messy job but I dont mind that either!

soilman