I know this might sound silly to most of you, but I'll put it out there any way. Me being in a climate where I'm not sure if a cutting is fully dormant or having temps below 45* for any sustained length of time, would it be beneficial to put cuttings in fridge for 2-3 weeks before trying to root? Or will it have no effect since it is already off the tree. I don't plan on taking any cuttings till late Feb since our cooler temps are yet to come. I have had some success rooting cuttings but would like to know if this might help with my success rate? Any and all opinions and insight appreciated.
Sal 

I've done it both ways, rooting some fresh and saving some in the frig for a second "wave". Can't say that I've noticed any real difference, if they were dormant to begin with.

Thanks Jon, I knew the question was dumb on my part. I guess what I trying to ask is, If you take a green or semi dormant cutting and place it in fridge will the cutting go into dormancy or does dormancy only occur when connected to rooted tree.
Sal

There are no dumb questions from people who are eager to learn. Only to ask a question with no intention of learning is dumb.

It kind of depends on what You mean by green. If the tree is leafless, it is dormant. If it is nearly leafless (in the process of going dormant), and the wood is hardened (browning up in color), it should be fine. If it is truly green-colored wood with healthy green leaves, refrigeration will not induce dormancy, and the cutting will also probably not last long. Green cuttings are more tender and perishable.

There is a definition of dormancy, which applies more to grafting: you can take non-dormant wood, strip the leaves, and when you are done stripping the leaves, it is "dormant" - in the sense that it is leafless, and thus not actively using nutrients and water to sustain the leaves. The leaves are stripped when the wood is being used for grafting - but that is not what you are looking for in figs. It might be possible to strip the leaves from a branch, and leave it alone for a week or two (at this time of year) are to some extent force it into dormancy. That is just a guess.

Sal
Trying to recall what Al (tapla) wrote in a post on GW, true dormant cuttings gradually go through some cellular changes where the water from the cells passes from the cells through a membrane to outside the cells so the cells do not get damaged due to freeze at low temperatures (something to that effect), a natural mechanism initiated by dwindling light and low temperatures in the fall to make the plant cold hardy for the coming winter (as much as its genes allow, I guess). Later, at appropriate time as the spring approaches, the water passes back through the membrane into the cell.
The green cuttings have not passed through such mechanism and may not behave like the dormant cuttings at low temperatures.

Thanks to both my 1+ yr old trees are starting to loose their leaves so I think they have adjusted to my zone. Last year they just went through our colder months putting on growth. I have a few cutting promised to some members and want to make sure I take when dormant. Jan and Feb avg low is 55 and high of 75 these are our colder months so you see my concern. I talked to a couple of nurseries in my area and they said we on avg get 200-400 chill hours so they should go dormant
Sal

Younger, smaller trees, esp. in the first year or two tend to hang on to their leaves for dear life. Mine did not loose their leaves till late March this year, and were releafing in 1st week of April. Not to worry.