Using a starter fertilizer row bander TRUE HYDROGEL is applied in the crop or plant furrows alone or blended with dry bulk fertilizer or seed by using side-dress application equipment. It can also be blended with liquid starter fertilizer. Grain drill can also be used in place of row bander but only in low relative humidity environment. Apart from using single operation machines, the TRUE HYDROGEL can also be applied using combined planters and tillage equipment.