Hoping someone can clear up a question for me.

Background: In the past I have just taken any old cutting from my nishiki or coral snap willows and just put them in the ground to reroot without much thought (some successes)

Now I carefully cut a dozen 1/2-1" diameter 18" cuttings.. (with several 12-18" smaller branches still on them) I cut these 2 weeks ago March 4 (still dormant) I have placed them into a bucket of water in may garage with rooting hormone. I noticed all the buds are now opened!

My questions are...
1. can these barely rooted cuttings sustain those budded branches, or should I have cut them off to say 3" each? Can I still cut them back if needed?
2. How long to leave them in the water (I barely see any roots)
3. Going forward what is the best cutting to take? size and location on plant (as in new shoots or an old 2" branch)? how to best prepare each cutting? When is best time to take cutting? Then what?

Thanks as always for the great advice and help I always get!

Next up, I will post about some dwarf Arctic willows that are just growing crossed and branched in every direction, need help straightening them out! What a mess.