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Brandon Cedar Yellowing: Fertilizer Protocol for Recovery

Likely Nutrient Deficiency

Pale, yellow, droopy lower foliage + healthy top = nitrogen or iron deficiency in alkaline soil. Brandon cedar (Thuja occidentalis 'Brandon') prefers slightly acidic conditions.

Fertilizer Prescription

Product: Espoma Holly-tone (acidifying, organic).
Rate: 1 cup per plant.
Timing: Spring AND fall.
Method: Scatter from 6″ out to drip line, water in well.

Alternative

Miracid (water-soluble) for quick green-up, but not slow-release. Use as supplement, not primary.

Check Soil pH

If >7.0, add elemental sulfur per soil test. Long-term fix for nutrient availability.

Conifers: Deciduous Magnolia Dormancy: Velvet Buds and Leaf Drop Explained; Root Depth and Spread of Swamp and Emerald Cedars; Leyland Cypress Fertilizer: Espoma Holly-tone Best Choice; Blue Cedar Sudden Browning After Wet/Dry Spring: Weather Stress Response; Large Cedar Near Foundation: Root Risk vs. Windthrow Hazard; Cedar Decline Near Utility Lines: Herbicide Drift vs. Transplant Decision; Transplanting a 10-Foot Brandon Cedar: Timing, Root Ball Size, and Aftercare; Cleveland Pear Thinning Canopy: Fertilize, Avoid Weed-and-Feed; Treehouse Attachment in Cedar: Nails vs. Lag Bolts; Fertilizing New Emerald Cedars: Why Wait Two Years

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