I have a mystery for you experienced fig mystery solvers.  Sorry for the long post...
I have been overwintering many containerized fig trees in my basement.  These range from cuttings I started last season to trees that are 6' high and multiple years old.
I have one tree that is severely dried out. It is one of the bigger ones, a 6+ footer, with lots of new growth from last year.  I've had tons of trouble keeping it hydrated.
I brought it inside in mid-November.  By mid/late December a few branch tips were showing some signs of drying out.  By mid-January it looked even worse.  It was so bad that I have been it more water (and more often) than I gave any of my other trees, even at the expense of breaking it out of dormancy.  By mid-February it looked really bad.  The branches have drooped right where they leave the main trunk, but they're also very dry.  Even the majority of the trunk looks dry and wrinkly.

Here's a bit more history.  I got this tree in the late autumn of 2012.  It was one of three trees I got from a neighbor at about the same time.  (It turns out they had a bad case of scale, which I successfully treated them for in the winter of 2012-2013.)  All three trees had somewhat of a "weepy" look to them -- i.e. many of the branches were shooting out sideways or slightly down.  I repotted the two others, but the one I'm having the trouble with was recently potted up into a larger pot and didn't seem to need it.  This one also had the worst case of the "weepy" branches.
After it broke dormancy in spring 2013 I noticed that some of the branch tips seem dried out by about 6 inches, but I didn't think much of it.   When the new growth started doing the same thing last December I idly thought "Hmmmm."  So this tree may have been having the same kind of trouble last year, just not as bad.

So, the one thing that differentiates this tree from all my others is the potting medium.  All my other figs were repotted into a 4-1-1 mix (pinebark fines, promix-peat, perlite), or a 4-1-1-1 mix containing one extra part calclined clay (like NAPA floor dry).  The fig that is having the trouble has some kind of potting mix that is much finer than the 4-1-1 mix.  It has more of a 0-1-0 look to it!!!

None of my other big trees seem to be showing the same symptoms -- they look nice and plump.  A few cuttings from the 2013 season have dried a bit...but this is with growth that is less than 1/8" thick.

Has anyone seen this kind of thing??  Is it a case of the potting medium sucking all the water out of the fig???

I'll try to get some pictures posted tomorrow.

so this tree has what seems like pure peat for the soil. it's drying out and never did well. did you check if the soil mix is compacted or too wet? also, i think pure peat is very low in ph.try giving it some lime?

Sounds like a case of a root bound plant. Have you checked the roots to see if it need pruning?
If you think it is the soil then you can remove the rootball now and try to get some of the old soil out and it wouldn't hurt to place the plant in a bigger pot.

As for the branches going sideways (weeping), there are a few cultivars that do that. They will twist and curve and go side to side.

You might have a special fig there.

Good luck

Pete -- this tree seemed to do reasonably well last year...some good growth and 10 tasty figs.  It was/is kind of "leggy"...but I was saving the pruning for this spring and had my eye on an air layer of the top portion of the tree.  I think you are right that the potting medium is compacted -- certainly compared to the loose 4-1-1 mix I've become used to.
Rafed --  I dug into the top soil and started hitting roots pretty much right away.  So, you're right, it could be root bound.  Maybe tomorrow I'll try to pull the rootball from the pot and see if it is really bad.  I haven't messed around with it too much because it seems so fragile...like the branches are so dry they'll snap.
This tree is a Black Mission.  In addition to the branches growing our horizontal and drooping, the main trunk did not want to stay up straight last summer.  I had it propped up with bamboo, but it eventually snapped it in its desire to droop!  It feels like it is just too long for how thick it is, and I was going to air layer the top couple of feet.  It is really weepy now (with some branches now drooping downward), but much of that seems to have happened over the winter.

I did a little scratch test on two of the branches, and there does seem to be some green under there, though the branches are dry and wrinkled like a prune.  I don't think I'll lose the tree.  Maybe I won't even lose most of the branches, just the thinner ones and the tips...
Jim

Jim,

Here's the link to the Magnolia I used to have. Go to post #5 and you will see what mine looked like.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/magnolia-need-to-confirm-4877297



From what you are telling me, you seem to be having the same (good) problem I used to have.

I can't tell you much without looking at a picture or two from your tree. Any chance you can post a couple?

Rafed,
  Yeah, it has a lot of the growth same traits.  I'll snap some pics tomorrow.
Jim

OK, here are some shots of the tree itself.  Some of the pictures have an odd "out of focus" feel to them...I think it is because of the shadow on the wall from the flash.
I always thought the tree was just too tall and lanky for its trunk size and was going to try an air layer of the top.  But maybe it is just a weeping characteristic.
When the tree was growing the branches had more of a horizontal and downward swooping feel.  Now that I'm having this "drying out" problem some of the branches are downright droopy. This is visible in the last picture.

      
Jim

Here are some closeups of the trunk about 1 foot from the bottom.  The bark looks dried and wrinkly.   The higher trunk and branches look like this too, and I was surprised to see it down so low.  I thought the dehydration would be more pronounced on the branch tips and higher up the trunk, but it pretty much looks wrinkly everywhere.  The flash washes out the texture a bit -- the 3rd picture (dark, without flash) shows the wrinkle texture.  None of my other trees have this texture, and I certainly don't recall this tree looking this way when it was growing.

   
Jim

Finally, here are some shots of the rootball pulled from the container.
The potting medium isn't 100% peat, there is some small amount of perlite mixed in.  It is very fine (too fine) and does look compacted.
It looks a little root bound, but not excessively so (to my untrained eye...I've certainly seen worse.)
Obviously it is keeping its shape while freestanding...so it could probably use some root pruning and repotting.

   
Jim

Rafed,
  If you look at post number 7, you'll see part of another tree on the left side of the first two photos.  This is another tree I got from the same person, and it is a different variety (Brown Turkey, not Black Mission like the one with the dehydration problem.)  You'll see that it also has a horizontal, swooping branching effect, though not as pronounced as this Black Mission.  So, I just figured it was something about the environment that the previous owner grew these trees in...whatever watering, light, fertilizer and pruning she was doing made them have this growth pattern.  I guess I'd be happy to hear that this Black Mission is some interesting weeping strain, but to me so far it just seems leggy and spindly.
Jim

Jim,

It looks to me like the soil in the middle of your pot is totally dried out and probably resistant to re-wetting.  Water may be just running quickly to the bottom of the pot without actually wetting out the soil enough to hydrate the tree, so your tree may not be using the amount of moisture you think it is. 

If the soil is as severely dried out as it appears, you may want to add a small drop (or half-drop) of dish liquid to a gallon or two of water--the next time only--and water normally (not the whole gallon, that is just to disperse the dish liquid).  The dish liquid will lower the surface tension of the water and allow it to better penetrate into the dried-out portion of soil.   Alternatively, you could set the pot in water up to the rim, but that volume of water might be enough to encourage the tree to break dormancy.  Good luck!

Hi Needaclone,
Just my two cents of the day, because I don't know the blackmission cultivar.
But I certainly have grown enough trees and fig trees to throw in my remarks :

I would never use peat as a potting ground. I always use compost of dark color from the nurseries. I use it at 100% or 50% with some of the dirt from the garden .
To my eyes, your tree is completely root bound and lacks of nutrients thus the look .
That cultivar seems to be a huge grower, and your pot is too small for it - I would up pot.
It is hard to tell the size of your current pot, but I would up pot right away with at least twice the size - but that would be to let the tree grow, and you might want to try to keep it small ... Although your tree is already too high for that .
As for the look of the bark, my dalmatie tree1 has such a bark look and she does not suffer from it, and she has been getting lots of rain . So just a look I guess.
The rootball of your tree looks too dry, and I would put it in a bucket full of water and let it soak .

looking at the root ball, the roots are not exactly root bound. it's getting there, but you should have some more room. but like mimi said, your soil looks compacted. which means the water is not getting to the roots. not sure how long ago your watered that tree, but the pix shows top and bottom being dark like they are watered, but middle looks as if it's completely dried. 

i would root prune that thing. if the soil comes of easily, i might consider bare rooting that thing and repotting in different soil mix. 

last yr, i had similar problem, but caught it early enough that root pruning saved the trees. this yr, i'm doing measure root prouning. 

I do recall from last summer that this soil was very fast draining.  Perhaps that was because it was quick to dry out and actually wasn't absorbing lots of water when I did water it!!!

jdsfrance, I have seen pictures of other figs with this wrinkly texture, but I really don't recall this particular tree having it.  It is really quite distinct from all my other trees.  I know I took pictures of the fruit last summer, so I'll have to go pack and see if I got any of the branches in the shot to compare.

Pete, I think the pictures in post 9 point out a definite problem.  The soil at the very bottom is quite moist, and the distinct dark/light transition means the soil really isn't wicking up the moisture.   Note the darkness around the top, too.  The last time I watered (probably 2 weeks ago) I poured the water in slowly to try to let it soak in.  As you can see, whatever didn't soak in at the top found a "sneak path" through right to the bottom, leaving the complete middle section almost bone dry!

It seems in the short term that a good soak in water would be good for it.  Now that it is March and many of my other trees are waking up, I'm not too worried about this one waking up (though it is on the large size.)  This tree will have to be one of the first that gets repotted...

It is hard to tell from the pictures, but the pot is reasonably large -- probably a good 14-15 inches at the top.

Jim

quickest solution is get a 12" screw driver and poke holes in the top of the soil to almost bottom of the soil.. give it deep watering that way. when you get a chance, just cut 1/3 wedge of the root ball and replace it with new same soil mix. better yet, it's still cool enough, bareroot and repot is different soil mix. 

Pete,
  Yes -- I will do that tonight.  Maybe I'll try to do it in stages from top to bottom to make sure all the soil mix gets wet.  I don' t to make a soggy mess since the tree is not actively taking up lots of water.
  It is much more brittle than it ever was.  I used to be able to grab the trunk and stand it up straight without an issue.  When I try to flex the trunk even a little now I get that feeling that it would snap before I got it straightened out.  Originally that bamboo stake was longer than it is -- but the weight of the trunk flopping over snapped the stake about 2/3 up! (last fall, when it was leafed out).
  I'd love for this tree to show some signs of rehydration before repotting it -- but repotting is probably what it most needs.  I'd rather bare-root it and change the soil out completely, since I don't really know what it is in and how long it has been there.
Jim
P.S. (I'll have to shovel some snow to get at my stash of big nursery pots!!)

Pete gave you the same advice I gave you on the PM Jim.
Make about four or five 3/4" to 1" holes about half way down the rootball and fill with water.
I don't think it is root bound yet and I don't see any issues with the plant. It is winter and I assure you this tree will bounce back once the growing season starts.

Here are some pictures of the 'Magnolia' I used to have to compare.
I don't think either one of ours are true to their names but rather something else unique.

Jim, I have been following this thread with much interest. Yesterday and today I managed to get to all my one gallon plants totaling about fifty. They
have been asleep in the attached but unheated garage. I discovered about ten trees that have the same look and symptoms as yours. Upon inspection, I
found that the root ball of each was completely dry even after having given each one a good drink on two occasions during the last four months. I gave
each one a good watering and let them sit for a while. I came back and only the top 1/2 inch had any dampness at all, and a trail or two off the sides
where the water had ran off and out the bottom. I then took one of my wife's nice kitchen forks and broke up the top of the root ball and watered 
each one again. I had to do the same thing about three times to get the water into the root ball.

Ps, not mentioning this because of your issue, but noticed a minor issue of concern with your mix. When doing a 5:1:1 or 4:1:1 mix, you need to add a Tablespoon of dolomite lime per each gallon of mix. You also should add a time released fertilizer to the mix when dealing with established trees.
I once had a fig tree develop weeping type branches after it has started to send out long white shoots too early in my basement (shoots were white from the absence of light). Once I brought it outside and the really long shoots started to harden up, they were very long and weepy looking.

Christy,  Yup, I agree.  I didn't go into all the details, but this plant got some lime and osmocote scratched into the surface at the beginning of the 2013 growing season.  However, I didn't own the tree for the ~3 previous years of its life, so I can't tell how it might have been mistreated.  No lime, not enough fertilizer, not enough light -- all were possible with the previous owner.

Pete, Rafed, JDSFrance, Mimi, Mike -- thanks for the hints on watering and potting up.  I'll be doing both.  It is already in a big pot, so I'll be looking into root pruning and hopefully it will recover enough for me to air layer the top.

I found one picture that shows this tree during the 2013 growing season.  It is the tree off to the left.

 

Jim

So, here are a couple of shots 24 hours after watering.
  I used a big screwdriver and poked about 6 big holes (from the top) about 10" down.  I gave each hole a soaking, waited for the water to absorb, the went around again a total of 3 times.  Then I poked 6 more holes between the others (and further toward the edge) about 6" deep and gave them a drenching.  I used a 1/2 drop of dishwashing soap to try to help the "wetting" of the dried out material.  When all was said and done I gave it about 1/2 gallon of water!
  This is what it looked like when I pulled the root ball out.  Again, this is after letting the water soak in for 24 hours!  (I put a plastic bag under the pot to catch any runoff -- there was none...it is all in the soil.
   
This potting medium is really stubborn.  I gave it a little more water, trying to focus on the outer edge.
I'll take a couple of shots tomorrow to see if the water managed to soak through.
Jim

a dormant tree should need very little in the way of watering.  Did you do any root work to the tree before potting it up?  If this is a root issue, the problem might be in the original root ball.  Jabbing a screwdriver threw it (Pete's and Rafed's advice are not exactly the same) could make the problem worse.  Cutting 3/4-2" holes with a hollow pipe will remove material and ease constriction.  Pushing something solid into it will intensify the compression.

What are the conditions in your basement?  Is it possible this one is picking up a draft the other trees are not?  Your tree resembles what my trees look like when they get zapped by the cold and dry wind before going dormant.

Mix warm fresh rain/well water with yucca powder and some mycorrhizae mix and stir well. Soak the rootball with soil in the water mix for 2 hours. Drain extra water from rootball, repot in a slightly larger size container with a little extra potting soil. Monitor moisture levels closely for the next few weeks. Add some sea kelp fertilizer in 1/2 dilution with prior watering. Use a good mulch on the container fig.

Jim,
Yes, It's probably the mix.
since the root ball seems to have become hydrophobic and the plant is dormant. IMO, bare rooting and replanting in fresh potting mix would be the best move. Also The tree shape can be improved with pruning and training (staking).

A benefit of using calcined clay in the mix ingredients is that it will prevent the mix from becoming hydrophobic after it has been completely dried out. Calcined clay is hydrophilic and will absorb moisture when dry which will help to "wick" water to the other ingredients in the mix..

I'm always curious about the over winter watering. Most people on the forum in the past said they water very little and maybe a few times over the winter. I don't see how you would wet the whole root ball that size with a few cups of water. Last year I watered every three weeks and I didn't measure, but I did water a decent amount. I think that contributed to losing a few trees to the trunks splitting. My trees are keep in a detached garage that gets cold, maybe a basement that is warmer needs more water?