Just to get my order of operations ready, I'd like to validate my Spring plans for my baby trees.  I started cuttings in early September.  They have grown significantly and appear to be happy under grow lights at the moment.  When spring time rolls around, I want to introduce these little guys to the real world without too much stress.  I'll be giving several away to friends and family locally and would like to include instructions so the trees survive.  From what I understand, I should be doing the following:

• When there's no more frosty nights, keep plants outside in a shady environment, out of direct sunlight for two weeks
• After two weeks, introduce plants to direct sunlight for a few hours a day
• Gradually increase direct sunlight exposure for another week or two until they've reached full sun all day

Frank,

In the same boat but my cuttings are quite a while behind yours.  I started 36 or so different varieties in November and currently have 115 cupped up and there are still probably 25 or so still in the baggies not rooted yet.  My plan is same as yours when I get them in 1 gallon pots except I have a large mister bed they will go to.  They have overhead misters and one end is in complete shade and the other in 60% sunlight so I just start them in the shady side and gradually move them to the sunny end.  We are frost free here end of February so I am a little behind at the moment.  

Yes, indoor plants should be introduced gradually.

But, exposing them to very early morning sun before 9:00-10:00am, is best
Or very late afternoon sun 1-2 hours before sunset (either time for a few hours). 

Then gradually allow more sun about 15 minutes each day.

Never put them out in the middle of the day about 11 am-3pm when the sun is the hottest.
(depending on where you live)

As soon as the a 60 degree temp can be maintained in my small green house at night they all go out there, never had any problems.

Frank ,
I have found I need to protect them from the wind as well , especially for the first week or so of partial sun exposure.
Setting up or taking advantage of a natural wind break is important.

I put my  cuttings in the green house as soon as I take them out of the moss. The sun does come out one or 2 times a month untill the end of march and the plants do fine.I started about 50 more cuttings in moss today and 15 where grafts on bt cuttings. The 10 grafts I first put on bt have rooted and the grafts have started to grow. Rex., the first 10 grafts I did  Dec. 2.

That's just AWESOME Rex!
I want to learn how to do grafting soon!
You've inspired me!

i keep all my cuttings under the shade once they are outside. they do get partial sun through out the day. i didn't have any issue last spring.

from what i have read, the leaf will burn if it was grown indoor then exposed to the sun. if the leaf came when it was outside under the sun, it will be more hardened and have less chance of burning up. not sure if this is true or not, but most of my older trees didn't have any issue with burn. my Black Madeira will all go out to full sun coming spring along with few others. if i seen burn on the leaves, i'll move then to partial shade.

Thanks, Pete.  I have several to play around with, so maybe I'll try out several scenarios to see what affect it has on them.