How to Treat Frost Damage to Succulents

Resist the urge to do anything to your succulents immediately after an incidence of frost damage. Wait until temperatures warm and any threat of repeat frost has passed. This will allow any damage done to show up fully in the plant tissues.

Sterilize the blades of any cutting tools you intend to use on your succulents in a solution of one part household bleach to 10 parts tap water. Scrub any buildup on the blades with a wire or plastic bristle brush dipped in the solution. These steps will kill bacteria on the blades and prevent disease transfer. When cutting through diseased tissues, sterilize the blades again between successive cuts.

Inspect the succulents for signs of bacterial rot such as soft watery looking spots, mushy or limp tissues and/or darkly discolored skin on the plant. These tissues should be removed as they can cause secondary infection in the plants. Cut back to a point of healthy tissue and discard the damaged portions of the plant.

Observe any dry and shriveled tissues caused by the frost. These can be removed or they can be left on the plant, often becoming invisible with time and further growth. Ask yourself, what will look worse in the case of your succulent -- the dead tissue as is for a time or a chunk of the plant missing. The answer depends on the species and size of the succulent as well as the extent of the damage.