Seriously resist the urge to do a late autumn repot. Some maples show their gratitude by bursting into new leaves and keeping them over the winter - then looking astonished when spring arrives. Mid autumn is usually fine. Root growth continues over the winter, though slowly. All my maples live out over winter in regular rainfalls and occasional frosts down to -5C. I start by moving them from summer dappled light to full light in mid autumn so they can colour up, and ease back on the water, and feeding. That said - this area has fairly high humidity and a mild range of temperatures. If you experience high 90s to 100+ you'll definitely need to take that into account in your management programme. For example pebble trays with water to increase humidity and slow down transpiration, plus shade cloth or use the dappled light under older trees with reasonably open canopies. The main thing I need to watch for over winter is actually dryness. Make a point to check the weight of each pot if you've had a run of dry days, windy spells, or frost then sun. It can be surprising just how quickly they can dry out. Plunge, then drain. Over winter is also a good time to weed the pots before the spring surge. Land cress and Oxalis species know nothing about dormancy. Nor do Violas. If birds are plentiful in your area then you may need to consider protecting any moss plantings in your pots in early spring. If your trees aren't tied into the pot then both moss and tree can disappear under the bench in seconds. A suitable netting cover can help - but some birds don't mind burrowing...

haha, yeah it's possible that it could be a dud. It was growing so well when I first got it. I cut it down A LOT though. I think maybe by half, but I balanced the root pruning appropriately as well. The tree started new growths at first which was promising, growing out to new leaves, but then it hit on the brakes and just STOPPED growing. I think this was after the second repot, because I wanted to expose part of the tap root for decoration sake. (Is it bad to expose the tap root?) Anyway, the feeder roots are in the soil (or pruned). Even if new growths arise, they stay the bud size. (I'd say 2-3 mm, as a cluster of 5-6 leaves - beacuse that's how the powderpuffs grow.) It's just so confusing....I don't understand. To narrow things down, what about the following: Will an exposed taproot cause dormancy? Will overfertilization of plant cause dormancy? Will out of range pH cause dormancy? Will too much light cause dormancy? (hah I don't really think that's the case) I don't know.....but for now I've stopped fertilizing, started watering the exposed tap root as well, which narrows down the questions above to light (which would be silly)... I guess we'll see in a week or so if things get better?? It only has like 20 or less leaves on it now. :( Anyway, maybe I'm going around in circles, but I was hoping if I added more details, might ring a bell in someone's head. It's got a reall pretty branch structure (like wings almost) and I don't want it to die!

Where are you keeping it - in or out? If it was outside, I'd say it was dormant (and probably worse... poms can take light frost on occasion, but not more). If it's inside, I would have asked long ago about the trouble. Even if it was dropping a few, say in a cool room, to fulfil seasonal requirements, I don't think it would still be leafless. How's your humidity? Did you check for spider mites (when you still had a leaf to do so with)? Is it in a very dry hot environment?

I take fuchsia cuttings all the time. If I decide to get a new variety I buy a single plant and by the end of the summer I can have lots. In my climate I grow them in large pots which I hide up against the house under lots of leaves and they break into new growth the next spring. The question of 'making lots of wood' is not really relevant. However much wood is made it will be enough. Yours has already proved to be hardy enough to overwinter outside so any cuttings from it would be too. Don't keep them in the house at all - it's not necessary where you live. If you had just hung an old sheet or something over the one you had that died it would probably be alive now. If frost is predicted give a little protection. Otherwise leave it alone. Cuttings are child's play. Pinch off the end of a non flowering shoot about two inches long with a few leaves. Put it into some seed or cutting mix and keep moist but not wet. That's it. It will root. I root almost all the pieces I remove when pinching out the plants to make them bushier. Once rooted just plant them where you want them and forget about them. In the winter watch the forecast and protect only if necessary ie if it's going to dip below about 33f. mytime - I'm curious you put yours in the fridge. Is that because the fridge is actually warmer than outside? I suppose it's around 5c which is a good temp for a fuchsia in winter.