Susan, it is my understanding that with no leaves and the high temps right now you probably won't get much growth at all. I will tell you from my experience Fragrant Cloud is one tough rose. Don't count it gone yet! Or any of them for that matter. It is good that you removed the dead canes. Now they are going to have to store up for next spring. You may get growth when the temps stay cooler, but probably nothing significant. In our zone 10 starting in October it is suggested to cease all fertilizing until February. So you gave them there last feeding for the year. We have to force some sort of "down time" since we don't have a real winter. (I am assuming in SW Florida you don't) Time will tell which way they will go. Allison

I'm not at all sure how to respond to this.......there are just so many issues here that could have affected their health and well-being. Depending on the type of hydrangea, the size of the container and the severity of your winter, they simply may not have survived. This could be exacerbated by them entering winter already in a stressed state by drought, exposure or lack of nutrients in the container medium. Pruning too early could also affect their health and may also have reduced or eliminated the possibility of blooms this season. Evidence of budding or hints of green are a good sign, so maybe all is not lost. You may want to do some research on the growing and cultural requirements of hydrangeas so you are better prepared to give them the care they need going forward. The attached link is one of the best Internet sites for general hydrangea information. Here is a link that might be useful: all you need to know about hydrangeas

First of all, blossom end rot, is rarely caused by lack of calcium, but usually inconsistent watering. In fact, it almost sounds like all of your issues are from too much water. Peppers require less water then you think. Wilting is caused just as much or more from overwatering as underwatering. Don't water until the container feels light. Limping can also be caused by the cold, and usually will perk back up after several hours in warmth. Don't prune wilted leaves until you confirm that they will not come back. It almost sounds like you are overcompensating (overloving) your plants. Let them dry out more. Let them recover more. Peppers are more resilient then you think. Quite often leaving them alone is the best thing you can do. Relax....

They may not be toast. Leave them in the shed to keep them out of the frost. They can stay in the shed all winter as long as the temp inside is about 50. When the weather warms, bring them back outside. I had several plumeria damaged by freezing temps here in FL. One plant was in the ground. I cut some damaged tips back to healthy wood and others I left alone. When spring/summer arrived, both developed new branches at about the same time. So, no difference. Other plants that were severely damaged, with stems shriveled down to ground level, I decided to leave alone to see what would happen. ALL of them sprouted new growth from the base of the plant. So, the best thing is to wait and see what happens. Don't give up on them, even if they appear to die all the way back. Mike