Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Letting brugs go dormantAdvice, please., 1 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
I am NO novice on growing Brugs....Been doing it for 4-5 years now. But--always still learning.....

In my zone (7a) I have to bring them in and let them go dormant. Have been doing this every year. I plant them in big pots and then sink the pots half way into a bed. Digging them up--I just lift them, cut off any roots that have grown through the pot holes, put a plastic bag around the pot and that's that.
BUT---they DO grow bigger and bigger every year and then the time comes when I cannot bring them in any more.

This year I said Good-Bye to two of them because of that. OH! I would never trash them! I begged and begged the Baltimore City Arboretum to accept these. Finally, after many e-mails and pictures I sent-- they did. Came and got them in a BIG panel truck.
I sure hope they are living "happily ever after"----haven't hear from them at all.

Now--my question here is about how far to cut back a Brug when you are letting them go dormant???? And to WHERE?
So far--I have just, kind of, let them dry out and drop all their leaves and maybe--water them 3 times through the whole Winter season. They survive in my cool, dark basement and perk up within a week when i bring them back outside in early Summer. NO complaints!

BUT--I have been thinking lately that maybe I should cut them back further down than I have been doing--never going below the "Y", of course. All the cuttings I take to root--I keep from above the "Y"--and they bloomed while still in the cutting size. Just amazing!

I have trimmed the tips off all the branches--maybe 6" or so--to the below "Y"'s. Of course-- "Y" is above another "Y"--which is above another "Y"----if you get my point.

SO! here is my question: Should I cut it back to the FIRST "Y"--or keep some of the branching "Y"'s intact. Is there a benefit doing either? I would like to keep my plants a bit more compact--especially the Rose Souvelons which tends to sprawl a bit.

Here is my Rose Souvelons as it is NOW. I just cut back the tips. I am wondering if it would be a stronger, more compact plant if I DID cut it back to the first, or second "Y" that the plant made--like, just above the main stem.

Your opinions, please....