Cuttings - skipping first winter dormancy

[InstilledChaos]

I have several cuttings I started early summer this year, and many of them seem to have taken. I have Sharpe’s Pygmy AP, some Buttercup Winterhazel, Shawnee Brave Bald Cypress, and Little King River Birch. I only have a few of the birch and winterhazel putting on new growth, while the others look mostly happy, but have not added any top growth. While they seem to have mostly rooted, my main concern is that if I let them go dormant without having added any top growth this season then they may be too weak to wake back up next spring.

Do any of you more experienced propagators have any insight on this? Do you find that generally, if well protected over winter, small cuttings will make it through if they have rooted? Would skipping their first winter by putting them under lights with my tropicals increase my chances of getting them through successfully? Or would it just be extra work for not much benefit? If I were to skip dormancy what would be the best time to bring them in so they don’t drop their leaves? I am assuming I can’t wait much longer at this point.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Do you find that generally, if well protected over winter, small cuttings will make it through if they have rooted?

Yes.
I've even had cuttings survive winters without roots. Putting them indoors is a serious investment of time and money and they'll need to re-adjust to the outdoors (and sprayed for pests indoors). That can take so much time and electricity, and an expensive setup that it isn't worth it. My indoor setup is about as expensive as 4 new nursery plants, and it's only barely enough to keep a plant alive.
A 300 dollar setup will get you somewhere, but one can wonder if running a 100+ watts of led for 16 hours a day for 6 months is worth gaining a couple of cuttings.

 

[InstilledChaos]

Yes.
I've even had cuttings survive winters without roots. Putting them indoors is a serious investment of time and money and they'll need to re-adjust to the outdoors (and sprayed for pests indoors). That can take so much time and electricity, and an expensive setup that it isn't worth it. My indoor setup is about as expensive as 4 new nursery plants, and it's only barely enough to keep a plant alive.
A 300 dollar setup will get you somewhere, but one can wonder if running a 100+ watts of led for 16 hours a day for 6 months is worth gaining a couple of cuttings.

I totally take your point. Although I will be running my setup anyway to overwinter some trops (also barely enough to keep them alive haha) it is still way more babysitting than I’d like to do for hardy cuttings. Thank you for the reply!