Hi Reyderrs,
It always helps if you put your growing zone on your profile.
I am in zone 7a. I only remove the leaves on my Itohs in the Fall and leave the stems. In the spring as they leaf out I then cut out any stems without foliage. Keep in mind that the stems are going to stay within the attributes of the variety. You are not going to have 4 foot stems on a Bartzella.
I have had blooms on an older stem. It all depends on the weather.
