Unfortunately, fertilizer isn't medicine and can even create problems for a plant trying to cope with serious problems. Also, be careful that you don't over water in your zeal to nurse your plants back to health.

If there are dead branches or tips of branches on the living camellias, you can cut them back cleanly to healthy wood. Please know that this kind of freeze causes hidden damage that might continue to cause dieback as the summer progresses. We haven't seen the last of the freeze damage, believe me!

thank you very much for your response. I wonder about cutting the dead ones down to just a few inches of wood and hope they might resurrect? We are about to get some rain right now (at last) so hopefully the rest of them will survive. I do water daily, but it seems to be so dry after this heat? I have two butterfly bushes that suffer greatly and I'm afraid they might be lost. What a frost!

Thanks so much.

I always have 3-4" of mulch way past the drip line here in Texas. It considerably helps maintain the soil moist. If you do not have that much mulch around the plants, I suggest you try it. It will reduce the need to water so much and prevent them from getting root rot. If the area where the plants are located is windy, you will need more frequent watering but daily sunds too much so consider a wind break or transplanting (when the plants are dormant).

A better watering program might be achieved by checking soil moisture manually every day. Insert a finger 3-4" into the soil (do not include the mulch in those 3-4"). If it feels wet, the plant is getting too much water. If it feels moist, do not water. If it feels dry or almost dry then water. Observe how often you are having to water and schedule your waterings accordingly (every 2/3/4 days). Increase the amount of water when temnperatures get much warmer; decrease watering in fall.

Regarding the pruning question, you can prune the dead branches to where they are green but do not just decide to cut the main trunk down to a few inches from the ground. I suspect the plant would not make it if you do that. Severe pruning is better left to times when a healthy plant is dormant. Instead, take a branch and prune off two inches. If it looks dead, prune another two inches. Stop when you get to some green. Optional - protect the exposed green part with some Elmer's Glue or tree trunk goop if you suffer from borer insects.

Luis