Last year I took a cutting or two from the 2 brugs I had, I kept one brug in a window and let the other go dormant in the basement. I did not sut the dormant one bcak at all except for the 2 cuttings I tried to root. Some of the newer growth dried out and I cut it off in the spring, but it is doing great now andproducing many flowers and buds. I plan to do the same thing this year, not really cut any back, just take some cuttings to share and then see how much of the growth survives/dries out during dormancy.
Shawn

When I overwintered in cooler zones, I only cut back no less than two Ys (imagine one stacked on top of the other-cut at least a few inches above that to allow for a little dieback that happens naturally when you cut) or it takes too long to get blooms. If its a standard (tree form) then I leave as much as possible.

I cut the majority of them back to about 10". Some I just cut back a foot or so but most get cut way back.
Karyn

Am I mistaken or do I remember correctly what I read somewhere.
The brugs only bloom on new growth?
Since the Flamenco and a few others really are nice and bushy, I guess cutting them way back like Karyn says would be better for my too?

Lucy

My only big one I had last winter I didn't cut back at all. Just let it keep growing under a grow light and it bloomed in the garage several times overwinter. Its loaded with buds right now so I am excited to finally get a real flush. I can't wait. Its more of a shorter bushy type though. Still only about 4 feet tall with the pot.

Kristy which one is it?

tommysmommy, this is up to you but if you cut below the first 'Y' you will have to remember it needs to 'Y' before it will bloom. So if you cut above the first 'Y' you should do good for a newbie. I don't recommend you cut below this unless you really understand and there is a space issue. For year we cut ours back to the soil level due to all the folks that wanted brug cuttings which took longer for them to bloom.

I leave them as tall as possible, trimming enough for cuttings & so they will fit in the basement. I spent all summer growing them big & I don't want to cut off & have to start all over again.

Linda

So the concensus seems to be if it's going to be in a pot over the winter, maybe I shouldn't cut them back as far as I have been. I really think I'm going to try to keep them going this winter, but we'll see. I'll need some additional lighting for them, but I can do that. Thanks everybody!

Mine was a noid pink. I just used a regular shop light fixture in the garage and put a full sun grow bulb in one side and a full spectrum grow light in the other and I only had that one fixture and a little natural light from the garage window up high in the door and they did fine all winter. I put the things I wanted to go dormant farther away from the light and the brugs right underneath it.

If you want to keep them going and haven't yet invested in grow lights I suggest HID metal halide lights. That's if you want additional heat. If you don't want the heat the T5 fluorescent bulbs are good. I use 1000 watt MH lights in the house and fluorescent lights in the greenhouse.
Karyn

Where do you get these bulbs? I have the reflectors with clips from Lowes and regular growlight light bulbs. Also, how do you mount the lights - is there a stand? and where do you get that?

I cut back to above the first two Y's or at least 6 nodes above the initial Y to allow for dieback. I have to cut back or I would never fit them into my house. I don't even want to think about how many pots are coming inside this Fall- well over 100! 150???

I just use regular flourescent fixtures like Kristy. I have a ceiling fan in my sunroom, and might slap 1-2 plant growlamps up there. I run the lights for 18 hours, especially once I start my brug seedlings. The lights that Karyn suggested are expensive but Barry used them last winter and his seedlings and plants were just beautiful!

Brenda

I may be thinking of the wrong thing but I think I looked at these lights online before (HID) and I believe they were pretty expensive. Just google them and I bet you will find a lot of sources for them. I'm not sure if they require special fixtures or not.
Shawn

Here's some good info and comparisions of different types of light. I did buy my lighting systems from this company but you can find them at many places.
Karyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Grow Light Guide

I have made the mistake of cutting back to far.. Still leaving the Y but not enough nodes and Yes you will have to wait much longer to see blooms.. It really depends on what you plan to do with them.. do they have basal stems coming up? Do you want them to go dormant? Are you looking to have a standard or a bushy plant. Where ya gonna keep them for the Winter.. Deciding what your expections are seems for me to make a difference on how to handle them..

This was very imformative and now I know how far or not to cut them back. Thanks for sharing.
Lucy