Most of my cuttings were intially potted up in December. Most of them are growing nicely even though I messed up by using Miricale Grow potting soil. My in ground and potted older trees are outside and leafing out and growing outside. My question is when can I start hardening them off outside? Also, I have read topics as they come up and some searching in the archives. I still don't feel clear on it. Can I up pot them into 1 gallon pots or is it to soon? If I can do it, should I do it before they go outside or should I get them aclimated outside then up pot them?

I have transfered several cuttings from 16 oz cups to 1 gallon pots. I have changed my mix to a 50/50 perlite/ pro-Mix mix.  I slowly acclimate to the indoors and then I put it in shade on the north side of my house. If the temps get too cold at night I bring them in.

I was going to slowly acclimate them to sun in the front of the house but I think I may just leave them for the first year in morning sun and afternoon shade for the 1st year. I don't want to over stress them.

The Miracle gro by me has lot more pine bark type mix and is lot more coarse. I personally don't think its that bad as some do. I just cut it with perlite or sand, and manure.  I did it with all my trees last year being a real Newbie. But I have not had any ill effects yet so maybe I can get away with it for now. I see no burn or growth hinderance. Half were received bare root so I can say for sure they are growing in this medium.

I rooted my cuttings last year in bags, and when they had been growing well for a while outdoors, in filtered shade under a tree, I potted them up to one-gallons. Most did very well, but several crashed soon afterward. They'd start to wilt, and almost always died within a few days.

Thanks guys, I am just not sure if 5 or 6 months is enough time move them up in size. I guess I used soda bottles and other similar containers for most of the cuttings and they are a bit larger then 16oz cups, so maybe they can spend some more time in them?

I'm no expert on this, but if they're in containers as large as soda bottles, I wouldn't be in a big hurry to get them into bigger pots. I think the best way to decide when to repot them is root development.

Yeah, some are larger containers some are smaller. Some are in water bottles, 1 liter soda bottles, etc.