Well, I returned from being away for about 10 days to find 4 of my 15 potted figs dried up. It had been hot and no rain the entire time. Fortunately most of the plants survived, but it looks like I lost the 2 that I really was favoring (VdB and Mary Lane). The Mary Lane in particular was very slow to start from cuttings but had grown the largest and had a few good sized figs.

I am very sorry to hear it.  Maybe you could get those watering globes or craft one for your next vacation. 

I'm sure you'll be able to get replacements, hang in there :)

Just a brief update. All the plants that I thought I had lost have actually survived and are growing again. And even though all my plants are first year from cuttings and this year was apparently not very good for ripening in our area, I did have one lone fig ripen. I'm pretty sure it was a Celeste and it was pretty good. I'm not sure it was 100% ripe since it was my first ever fresh fig, but it was pretty good. I am really looking forward to next year.

have you ever considered drip irrigation?

this could be a good idea if you have to leave on another trip...

Yes, an automatic irrigation controller buys a lot of peace of mind.