Cottonseed Meal - Ask Extension
My landscaper suggested I use cottonseed meal for my Deodar Cedar trees. They are starting to yellow/brown and he thought this would help them. Is...
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Cottonseed Meal #891367
Asked January 07, 2025, 7:09 PM EST
My landscaper suggested I use cottonseed meal for my Deodar Cedar trees. They are starting to yellow/brown and he thought this would help them. Is this a good fertilizer to use on these plants?
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi and thanks for your question about cottonseed meal on your Deodar Cedar trees. As it is common for landscapers to solve all problems with fertilizer, but most conifers do not benefit from it, I already had some questions about this recommendation.
It turns out cottonseed meal is a pretty good fertilizer, but not necessarily for a conifer, as it is high in nitrogen and some may have pesticide residue from the cotton removal process. It can also acidify the soil so you would definitely want to do a soil test before adding anything.
Tips of new growth come out white and then turn yellowish and finally green. If that is what is happening on your tree, it is entirely normal and will lessen as the tree gets more mature.
I really need more information about the yellowing/browning process on your trees. How old are the trees? How many trees are affected? Is it the inside needles of the branch? Is it the tips? Is it the whole tree or just some branches? Pictures would be helpful.
My final suggestion before you let your landscaper dump fertilizer on the soil would be to have an ISA certified arborist
come out and look at the trees. This is a cost free evaluation and you can get several opinions. Here is a site to find some near you:
https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist
Good luck with a beautiful tree species!
It turns out cottonseed meal is a pretty good fertilizer, but not necessarily for a conifer, as it is high in nitrogen and some may have pesticide residue from the cotton removal process. It can also acidify the soil so you would definitely want to do a soil test before adding anything.
Tips of new growth come out white and then turn yellowish and finally green. If that is what is happening on your tree, it is entirely normal and will lessen as the tree gets more mature.
I really need more information about the yellowing/browning process on your trees. How old are the trees? How many trees are affected? Is it the inside needles of the branch? Is it the tips? Is it the whole tree or just some branches? Pictures would be helpful.
My final suggestion before you let your landscaper dump fertilizer on the soil would be to have an ISA certified arborist
come out and look at the trees. This is a cost free evaluation and you can get several opinions. Here is a site to find some near you:
https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist
Good luck with a beautiful tree species!
Dear Rhonda,
Thanks for the reply and info. The trees were planted about 5 months ago. Here are some pictures of the one yellowing the most. It’s sort of all over.
Sean Jordan
Mobile<personal data hidden>
Dear Rhonda,
Thanks for the reply and info. The trees were planted about 5 months ago. Here are some pictures of the one yellowing the most. It’s sort of all over.
Hi Sean and thanks for further information and the pictures. I have one further question... Where are you? The website says Washington County, but your final picture looks more like Eastern Oregon!
Yes, the trees are not doing a "normal" thing. This looks to me like they are not enjoying their soil or environment much. Who planted them? The hole should have been twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth as the pot so the trunk is at the same soil level as it was before being planted.
They should have had some supplemental water over the summer since this was their first year in the ground. I'm still going to recommend a soil test (they like a pH 5-7.5) or a certified arborist to come take a look at them if you want to save them.
If you do decide to apply cottonseed meal, wait until late winter or spring when the tree is going to put on new growth. If you apply it now and the tree thinks it's time to grow, a freeze may kill any new growth it puts out. Spread the fertilizer around the tree, starting a few feet from the trunk and extending one foot beyond the drip line for every five feet of tree height.
Do be aware not to let chickens around the cottonseed meal unless it is well turned into the ground. I'm crossing my fingers that the stress they are showing might be temporary and if you choose not to find an arborist, the cottonseed meal in say late February might give them a fighting chance.
Good luck,
Yes, the trees are not doing a "normal" thing. This looks to me like they are not enjoying their soil or environment much. Who planted them? The hole should have been twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth as the pot so the trunk is at the same soil level as it was before being planted.
They should have had some supplemental water over the summer since this was their first year in the ground. I'm still going to recommend a soil test (they like a pH 5-7.5) or a certified arborist to come take a look at them if you want to save them.
If you do decide to apply cottonseed meal, wait until late winter or spring when the tree is going to put on new growth. If you apply it now and the tree thinks it's time to grow, a freeze may kill any new growth it puts out. Spread the fertilizer around the tree, starting a few feet from the trunk and extending one foot beyond the drip line for every five feet of tree height.
Do be aware not to let chickens around the cottonseed meal unless it is well turned into the ground. I'm crossing my fingers that the stress they are showing might be temporary and if you choose not to find an arborist, the cottonseed meal in say late February might give them a fighting chance.
Good luck,
