I am facing situation where some of the plants still have some green leaves and some have all green leaves despite below freezing temperature for a few nights. Starting coming Thursday we will have overnight temperatures of -4C (about 24F) temperatures for a few consecutive nights. The onset or completion of dormancy seem to be slow this year. This would not have been problem if I could predict better situation for  later to move dormant plants inside for winter storage. I hate to do it in bitter cold winds later.

 The days are short and cooler getting cold, the sun is low and mostly cloudy so, in my opinion, little benefit from the leaves hanging onto the plants this late in season.

My question is if I can cut off the leaves now and start storing away the potted plants before the weather make it difficult?
What is your opinion?

Hard to believe that below freezing temps haven't gotten their attention, yet. Cut the leaves off, and in 3-4 days the stubs should fall off or can be brushed off. Store them inside. If the storage temp is cool enough, it shouldn't take too long to finish dormancy, I would.

In mild years, here, some of the old leaves persist well in to spring, esp on smaller plants that are always more reluctant to give up their leaves.

Hi Ottawan

Weather forecast says cold for Thurs-Sun and then it will moderate for the next while.

Can you bring the in to unheated garage for a few days then you can put them back out for a week or so.  This would give them time to drop their leaves and go fully dormant.

Or if you bring them into a cool area now <10C they will drop their leaves on their own anyway after a while. 

I would think that even if it dips down to 24, it won't stay there for long this time of year.  So the root zone should be well above freezing.  Why not just leave them alone and let the leaves naturally freeze and fall off or whatever they are going to do?  Don't see how that would be a bad thing

Hi OttawanZ5,
I would already move the pots closer to the winter-rest area and remove the bottom leaves on every stem.
Remove half of them, the lower ones and remove half of the figlets from the top to the bottom on every stem.
I wouldn't cut all the leaves as that may trigger the onset of new leaves ... which would be worse.

Until you'll be hitting -10°c at night, they should stay safe.
That should allow the lower portion of the stems to harden off better.
Good luck !

I have some potted trees (1 or 2 Liters pots ) started from green cuttings and those damn guys are green from dirt to the terminal bud ... Well, I'll see was has survived come Spring ...
But I'm leaving them outside as long as weather permits and as long as they have leaves. By mid or end November they should be sleeping here and will be until April in their 80 liters trashcan all ( small pots ) grouped .

Thank you all fig friends for your inputs. These re-assuring inputs are making me at ease with all the choices of actions available without harming the plants.
I started digging my partially buried pots today. It was drizzle and wet ground but completed most of the digging leaving the plants outside for a while.
I know that as the dormancy gradually progresses so is the plant tolerance for more colder temperatures to a point. My concern was because of some of the plants refusal to go dormant.
Thanks again.

Saturday here in the fine state of New Jersey we might have snowing sub freezing temps. Most of our newly grown plants have browned up but to be on the safe side they are coming into the garage until the next warm spell or spring time.

We were supposed to hit freezing last night.  I left the trees out, since they've taken temps right at freezing a few weeks ago.  My outdoor thermometer, however, registered 25F.  Most of the leaves took a shock, and a few trees completely defoliated.  The wood is still okay.  Most of this seasons growth has started to harden off so they are only "slightly" green.