Hello Joe
I'm living at the Illinois - Wisconsin border, also have some property in SW Michigan, not too far from South Haven & Kalamazoo. I believe your winters are about the same as mine. I'll give you some pointers, somewhat disconnected, each paragraph is a stand alone suggestion.
In spring, I try not to bring trees out of my winter storage before the maple trees in the landscape have their leaves half open. Emphasis on try. Unfortunately European and Asian species have a tendency to start a couple weeks too early. I really do wait. And most of the time, my native trees wait. Use the trees in the landscape and the weather forecast to determine if you are past the danger of significant frost. 28 F and cold is significant. (-2 C ). I really do leave my
If a deciduous tree begins growing - you must not allow it to get a significant frost or freeze. One degree of frost might be okay, but seriously, try not to freeze the deciduous that start early. Japanese Maples are notorious for starting 2 to 4 weeks too early. There is no way to stop a tree from growing once it has woken up and started growing. Set them outside as often as practical, bring them back in or under cover if a freeze threatens. A deciduous tree that has started growing in the dark of a garage, needs to be acclimated to full sun. Initially set them out in bright shade. Do the ''In again, out again dance'' to avoid frost and freezes. Then after a week or two of shade, step them into half sun, then another week then step them into full sun. Do not just set a Japanese maple out in full sun in spring. It will burn up.
If you store your conifers for the winter in the dark, garage, well house, tool shed, cold frame, you will also need to slowly acclimate them back to full sun. Again, 2 or 3 steps, bright shade, half sun, full sun. If all the needles formed in full sun in the previous year, the stepping back into full sun can happen in as little as a week.
If the conifers in storage have nor started growing they can be put out and will do fine with a light freeze. I have allowed pines wintered in my above freezing well house to stay out through a 26 or 25 F night. (roughly -4 C). Si generally while I will do the ''in and out'' dance with maples, and other deciduous I usually won't with my conifers, I will leave them out through a light freeze. The resinous sap of most conifers functions as a type of anti-freeze.
I do try to leave my conifers in storage until the leaves are half open on the maples in the landscape. Let nature be your guide.
Deciduous trees in the dark garage that stayed dormant, and have not started growth may be moved directly from the dark to full sun. No leaves to burn.