How to Treat Frostbite for Indoor Plants

Bring plants outside and spray them gently with a garden hose. Do this as early in the morning as possible, before the sunlight begins thawing plants. This will help them to thaw as soon as possible and prevent the burn that can occur when plants thaw too quickly in the sun.

Warm up the area where the plants are living. Even temperatures that are in the low 40s are high enough to keep most plants alive.

Trim any frostbitten parts of the plant. If the entire visible plant isn’t completely frostbitten yet, pull off the leaves or trim areas that are obviously dead.

Wait until the freezing weather has passed before throwing out the plant. People often assume that a plant has died and will get rid of it too soon. Often, once the cold weather has passed and the plant has had time to warm up and stay warm, it becomes apparent that the roots and stem are still healthy.

Spread plastic sheets, plastic garbage bags or mesh shade cloth over plants that are exposed to cold temperatures. This will help to protect the plants from getting frostbite in the future. A blanket or sheet will work fine if the plants just need to be protected for a short period of time.