Hey Wildflower, I think you just don't realize the level of desperation people and plants way up here reach by this time of winter - LOL. Actually, this has been an incredibly mild January for SE MN 40s yesterday and 37 when I passed the bank clock today. It's just not supposed to rain here in January (he said happily). I think I may have to try Molly's trick. All my dormant rootballs made it through last winter in my cool basement with minimal watering but with a little every 2 weeks this year they have even maintained pale shoots. Maybe I'll have to sort thru the buckets (20 odd) to find a couple of shoots from those I really want to multiply. What fun. Will

When I bring my brugs inside, those I want to go dormant get most of their leaves trimmed off. They will put out a few more, but those can be trimmed as well. My thinking is that if they are using up energy putting out leaves, it weakens the plant somewhat. Eventually they will go to sleep......like good children who also eventually go to sleep when put to bed for the night. Some are more reluctant to go to sleep than others and do take longer time to go dormant. That is perfectly normal. Each plant, like each child, has its own "personality". There was good advice about the watering given above. We don't want the roots to rot in damp, cold soil. Having said that, I keep my variegated brugs in my dining room, and keep them going strong. I admit to have trimmed them back a little so I could get them inside and not have them stab guests as they come to my table. They too have shed a number of their leaves, but have put forth more and are doing quite well. My cuttings, I keep under lights in the basement, and they have taken off really well now. John

I'm not a fruit tree expert, but I prune to ensure air flow, easy access, and no branch rubbing. I've found that branches which don't get much direct sun still grow fine (if a bit slower) and the fruit that set sometimes are better hidden from tree rats and birds (more a wish). The rubbing is the biggest item for me, when the limbs get weighted with fruit, especially when leaves and limbs are wet in a windy storm, branch rubbing causes problems. Since this is your second year, you probably can't really see the full growth pattern. I generally let the tree fill out a few more years before doing any major pruning.

Sheila.... I remove leaves often... well not often, but probably more often than others. I live on the intracoastal in Florida. I get a lot of salt spray. Mostly after a extended periods of 45 to 60 mile winds.... or after a hurricane. I had always been told that roses need the leaves to make their sugar and taking off the leaves would hurt them. But after having Geoof Coolidge from Cool Roses come and look at my roses he determined that they were languishing from the salt. I now use a hose and rinse them off early mornings. But when the winds come and dry them out and leaves a terrible salt residue on them I sometimes now strip them off, even when it is not dormacy period. After hurricane Irma, I stripped every leaf off the bush and rinsed the stalks go get rid of the salt. Then I gave it some fertilizer which I hated doing because that promoted the chili thrips for us in the summer, but I figure it would be better battling an insect than the death of salt buildup. The roses bounced back.... so don't be afraid to pull off leaves. It does work..... I just would not do it all the time, because as others have said they DO need their leaves to make food, but on occasion it IS in their own best interest.