This was posted not too long ago. Hope it helps !!!

later...April/dirt_under_my_nails

Here is a link that might be useful: Getting ready for dormancy

I use the same method as Ruth Ann for the vast majority of my brugs. We do this mainly because we have so many. If you are only wintering over a few you don't have to prune nearly as much. If they are already in a container you do not have to uproot them, they can remain in their pot. Ruth Ann's example is for inground plants or plants that are in pots too large to move to a protected area.

Thanks, I had read Ruth Ann's info earlier and found it helpful but still had those questions. Wasn't sure what to do before the first step. It appears that one just cuts tops off and strips the leaves and quits watering which forces dormancy.

Two are in large 21 inch diameter pots. Do you suggest I pot them into smaller pots for the winter? I can bring the larger pots into my cool basement but the pots are too large to go into my crawl space with the other plants that I winter over there. If I leave them in the large pot do I need to root prune them in the spring when I add new soil?

I overwinter other plants under lights but don't want to grow the brugs under lights if I can avoid it.

I'd just d/c watering about a week or so before bringing them to the basement. Strip the foliage before taking them in. You can leave the tiny leaves at the tips. They'll drop on their own. The soft growth will shrivel up during dormancy. You can cut it off in the spring or wait for it to drop on it's own When you strip the foliage cut the petiole at the base of the leaf blade, not against the stem. The remainder of the petiole will drop on it's own. If you want to take cuttings I'd make the cuts in the firm woody stems. Not the soft green growth. Soft cuttings can be difficult to root, especially out of the growing season. I like cuttings that are 8-10" long. Longer is fine. As long as the stems are mature the thickness doesn't matter to me. If you have to move your plants to a bigger pot next spring go ahead but once I hit 25-30" diameter pots I refuse to go any bigger and will root prune. Just remember if you prune the roots you should also prune the above ground growth. If I'm not moving them up to a larger pot I'll remove the top few inches of soil and replace it with new soil with lots of organic matter mixed in as the soil does become depleted over time. With my bigger brugs there's usually lots of fine roots at the top of the soil. Those I'll just cut away when removing the soil but I don't damage the thick roots that are sometimes there, especially near the base of the trunk. I don't consider that root pruning even though I guess it really is and I don't prune any of the above ground growth in response.

Thanks Karyn1 for the detailed info. That is very helpful. I generally think of root pruning a potted plant as cutting back some of the bottom & side roots so won't cut any of the thick roots on top. I have done root cutting before with some of my larger potted trees. Fortunately DH is able to help move big pots.