size should be a function of enough stored water/energy ... to last long enough to root ... before they shrivel ...

usually.. to large a cutting ... with too many leaves ... just sucks them dry.. before they can root to provide the water for the leaves to survive ...

i would probably go 2 or 3 nodes .... if your plants arent etoliated ...

ken

looks like others agree: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffcm&q=saliva+cuttings&iax=videos&ia=videos

Um .... check that word ;-)

Oops! LOL! I can't edit now. Oh well.

Ken -- I asked about time, not size.

you asked if you could grow it big enough to take directly outside as a large specimen ... thats how i read it ...

and i was encouraging you not to start too big.. to get that bigger size ..

here in our MI .... third week of may is usually the 'for sure' frost/freeze free date ... i think you might be a bit early ... starting 3 months till then ..

but if you have good sized plants ... i might be tempted to take a couple cutting ... and in a few weeks take a couple more,.. etc ... and keep track for next year ... 2 or 3 cuttings in a quart pot ....

keep the lights close.. grow the above ground parts are small as you can.. while growing a good root mass to take outside ...

i know you got the fever ... and the weather idiots are saying its going to be an early warm spring ... but after 40 odd years of playing that roulette wheel ... do bank on the 3rd week of may ....and then a couple weeks of hardening them off before they can go into sun of any kind ....

ken

ps: i once started impatiens seeds indoors too early .. in an 8 x 8 inch cake pan ... and what actually made it outdoors.... was the 4th shearing and sticking of cuttings.... lol ... blah.. what else did i have to do in february and march with a couple of feet of snow outside ...

^^ No, no fever -- it's just the planner in me. What do you with a couple feet of snow? Strap on those cross-country skis, get out there and enjoy it!