Assuming the overwintered figs aren't actually dead (this was my first winter having them in the basement, and some are looking rather grim), I will be transplanting some into 5 or 7 gallon buckets with a second bucket reservoir or simply into 5 gallon buckets.

The 5-7 gallon planters I have at present are topped by black plastic tied down in place - not the most high fashion look, but it works.

Both Lowes and Home Depot sell 5 gallon bucket lids.

The HD version is black and the Lowes version is white - the each fit equally poorly on a 7 gallon bucket <g>.

I need to use several to top 5 gallon containers full of liquid fertilizer (assuming my venturi pump from eBay actually pulls into drip or soaker hoses (please, please please)).  I'll use the white there to not overheat the fertilizer solution.

On the figs, though, do I want the added heat of the black (which it equivalent to the black plastic I'm using) or the potentially less 'hot' white.  Do I want to minimize the heat on the top of the bucket, or maximize it?  Will it really matter?


Andrew

I have a couple of Bill's SIPs and he uses plastic. I dont like that much.

All of my recent figs are in #5 black nursery containers will have 1-2 inches of hardwood mulch on top of them.

Hi AndyinNYC,
Shadow or full sun ?
If the top of the pot is in the shadow, you don't need to bother .
The color of the pot will do a difference, the color of the lid not that much IMO .
For the trees, have you watered them during the winter ? They might be lacking water .
I would water them well before up potting - that will help the potting mix in sticking to the roots .

Andrew, Rich,
  From what I remember reading from Bill's info, he claimed the black was really helpful for heating up the roots here in NJ, which generally contributed to strong tree growth.  (We need all the help we can get.)
Also, the main reason for the plastic top (as opposed to open or bark-covered) was to keep extra water out -- i.e. the tree would only draw as much or little water from the reservoir at the bottom of the SIP as it needed.  I lost a bunch of rooted cuttings due to the extremely rainy weather we had here in NJ last May/June, where my pots were just continually saturated....

Andrew -- my figs were also overwintered in the basement, and more than a couple (primarily 1st year plants grown from cuttings last year) are looking mighty dry!  Many of the others have already broken bud and are leafing out, but some of them remind me of mummies!  I'm really hoping that after things warm up and I put them outside, they'll plump up a bit and send out new buds or new shoots from below ground.  But no matter how bad they look, I'm not throwing them out until I really give them a good chance to revive themselves.
Cheers,
Jim 

black pots are a killer on the roots in hot weather.
i am currently using a system of the pots being close together so that the leaves on top help cool the pots, i hope it works out.

I had most of my figs in black pots last year here in PA.  No problems at all.  I can't say it helped or hurt.

Mustn't generalize here -- important to note the USDA zone and area of the country.
Black pots can be just great in NJ and Pennsylvania for warming the roots and extending the growing season.
Black pots in Texas or SoCal desert could cook your figs.
Jim