Frozen brugs

Heat went out in the greenhouse and temps went down to 15 degrees. Of course when I discovered this the brugs had already gotten frozen. Would it help to save any by cutting them down at this stage? Several of the plants were 4-5 feet tall. what really hurts is my daughters variegated leaf brug that also got it. I wonder if possible to try and root some of the stems after the trauma they all suffered. Anyone ever have this problem?

bump!

If the soil didn't freeze soilid, they may come back from the bottom. It probably won't matter if you cut them off now or later, but I'd give them a chance to warm up and grow again from below. I hope you don't lose them all.

I've put them down in the basement in a south window. Poor naked things! Would it help or hinder if I gave them a bit of fertilizer?

Doris, I don't think it would help them to feed them at this stage. Winter is usually a dormant phase in a plant's life cycle, so feeding them after the trauma of freezing might not be the best thing.
I am far from an expert on Brugmansia, though. I hope others with more experience will help you. At any rate, I wish you well. I know this must have been disappointing.

Barb

If the branches and trunks did not turn soft and mushy then they should be OK. Usually the leaves and top green growth are the first to get frost/freeze damage.
Keep an eye on them and if you see anything turning soft and shriveling up just cut it off till you come to healthy growth.
The roots should be OK and will make some new shoots in the spring even if you lose the mother plant.
I agree with bjf about not fertilizing them now and I would water only when the soil looks dry.

Had temps in the low 30's last night. Covered the brugs up but still got some wilt from the short freeze they had. All of Butterfly's blooms look terrible. I had dragged all the small ones inside, but the others were in pots that are too big to haul in and out every day.

On a brighter note .... the outside walls are framed on the new greenhouse. When my husband saw the damage to the brugs he said he would work faster on it.
Mary

Thank you all, no the stems aren't mushy, some look a little shriveled and the leaves have all fallen after drooping. I'm glad I waited before feeding. I've cut them all down to green wood and was very surprised to see it, which gives me hope! Then evidently brugs have a dormant period? Keeping my fingers crossed!

Mary, when I lived in zone 9 in FL, they said that serious damage would occur if the temp went down to 28° and stayed there four hours or longer. But that was with citrus and I think Brugs are much more tender than that. Hubby sounds like a keeper! :~)

Barb