I would not prune any of the damaged tips until you see new growth next Spring. They *might* survive. All the Plumeria here are leafless during the winter. Josh

What would we realize if we assume a soil that was saturated in the AM, then assume a day-long sun load, and further assume we are dealing with trees planted in bare soil (if it's not bare soil, the vegetation would shade the soil and a relatively insignificant amount of passive heat would be generated at the soil surface)? That's three assumptions we need to make before we start, so we're starting to look like the model set-ups that "proved" global warming. ;o) We would then also have to assume that there actually is a way to practically apply the idea that there is a critical temperature that kills the plant. I'll explain why that is technically true, put practically speaking - false. Even if we were dealing with trees in a bare soil, how much water remains in the soil by days end if we water it in the AM so it has a full day to 'absorb' heat? Only a minute amount in micro-pores and a microscopically thin layer on soil particulates - so not much of an addition to the soil as a heat sink. We also need to take into account that we KNOW the cooling effect of evaporation is greater than the sunlight that strikes water's surface. Case: The sun that passes through a water droplet on a leaf is capable of generating only .2 calories per minute, while a drop of water absorbs 3.75 calories as it evaporates; so the net effect of a a sun load on a wet surface is to cool the surface considerably as long as it's wet. When the surface dries and starts to warm, it increases the evaporation rate and heat absorption at increasingly deeper soil levels. Soil is a fairly poor conductor, and becomes an increasingly poor conductor as the volume of air in it increases. So, as what water remains in the soil evaporates, it reduces the effects of passive solar gain by absorbing a good portion of that heat. As the sun load decreases (dusk) the soil loses heat fairly rapidly, primarily through conduction and radiation, but also aided to some degree by convection. I'm unable to find where watering before a freeze would make a significant difference in soil temperatures over a cold night. We also need to examine the idea that "... the difference between life and death for a plant is a critical temperature over a critical period." I'll say briefly that the 'critical period' part is far less important than the 'critical temperature'. When bound (intra-cellular) water freezes, cells die as ice crystals destroy the cells. This usually happens in any plants planted out in the hopes they will survive the areas low temperatures (Lou's) at some temperature several degrees below freezing. While we can allow there is only 1 degree of dead in any organism, it's not practical to assume that the organism simply collapses at a given temperature. Neither roots nor shoots die in concert, they die incrementally. The softer/newer/more herbaceous tissues are the first to succumb to chill injury, with the injury progressing through more lignified and resistant tissues as the temperature falls. This fact effectively eliminates the thought that we can practically apply the idea that any finite temperature = the end of the organism. The best we can practically claim is that IF watering in-ground trees has any value at all, it would be limited to reducing the extent of chill injury. If we fall back and try to reinforce the idea that death is death, we need to look at the moment immediately before viability ends. At that point, what we are left with is not a tree we are likely to want. Al

hey i am of the opinion.. that fertilizing a stressed plant.. is not helpful ... you arent going to make it recover 'faster' by feeding it.... you plant has tissue damage.. and fert will not 'fix' such ... proper watering is always good ... no reason to change such ... frankly.. there is nothing you can do.. other than wait and see ... except.. contemplating a more hardy plant for the front of the house... you dont mention the whole latin name.. but googling ficus comes up with zone 10 - 12 ... next to your name you have a 9 .... if you are z9.. and its a zone 10 plant at best.. time to replace them.. IMHO .. ken

You should recieve email notifications for replies. I get them automatically. they only thing i can think of is to wrap the trees with christmas lights and a blanket over that to keep it warm inside. I hope others chime in. Good luck!