Oof, freezes are brutal on dragonfruit 😬 The good news: they’re tougher than they look, and you might be able to bring them back depending on how hard the freeze was.

Here’s what to do, step by step:

1. Don’t prune right away (for a few days)
After a freeze, damaged tissue can look worse than it really is. Give it 3–7 days so you can clearly see what’s truly dead vs. still alive.

2. Check what’s still alive
Gently scratch the skin of the stems:
Green inside = alive (even if it looks ugly)
Brown/black and mushy = dead
If the base of the plant is still green and firm, you’ve got a solid chance of recovery.

3. Prune back the dead parts
Once the damage is clear:
Use clean, sharp pruners
Cut back to firm green tissue
If a whole branch is mushy, remove it completely
Don’t leave soggy tissue—it can cause rot
Tip: Let cut ends dry out (callus) for a day or two if it’s warm and dry out.

4. Dry them out a bit
After a freeze:
Do NOT overwater
Frozen roots + wet soil = rot city
Let the soil dry more than usual before watering again

5. Protect them from sunburn
Freeze-damaged dragonfruit can sunburn easily:
Give them bright shade for a week or two
Slowly reintroduce full sun

6. Hold off on fertilizer
Wait until you see new growth before feeding. Fertilizing stressed plants can actually make things worse.

7. Watch for rot
Over the next 2–3 weeks:
If parts turn black and soft, cut them off
If the base turns mushy, the plant may not recover
If you see new little green nubs = 🎉 life!

How likely are they to come back?
They can recover if: ✅ The roots didn’t freeze solid
✅ The main stem base is still green
❌ If everything is black/mushy all the way to the soil line, recovery is unlikely

For future freezes (so this doesn’t happen again)
Frost cloth or old blankets on cold nights
Move potted plants under a roof or inside
String Christmas lights (old-school warm ones) around the trellis
Mulch around the base for root protection