I am an experienced gardener but still new to growing figs. I have a few unknowns and a VDB, Excel, Kadota, and Long yellow. Also have a couple very small Black Missions and an unknown variety of Honey fig all cloned just this year. This is my first summer with serious growth and figs, all are in pots and grew well until it got really hot out. I recently started giving them some mild doses of fertilizer every other watering and there is a burst of new growth that started before we cooled off to low 100s and the last 2 days below 100. I want to know if the lack of growth for several weeks was related to heat or lack of fertilizer.
I am interested in getting a few more varieties and have been overwhelmed with how many there are to choose from. I have not tried many varieties yet and have no idea where to begin. I have read many posts and the wish lists for starters and have a short list started but would greatly appreciate any suggestions for my smoking hot climate. Next year I may have some sticks to offer in trade but would gladly pay for anything interesting right now. I also grow bananas and have extra plants if that interests anyone. I have had success with Organza bags because I am only fighting off finches right now. Domestic finches escaped and started breeding in the Phoenix metro area, very cute little birds
My wish list at this time is Hardy Chicago, LSU Purple, Green Ischia, Malta Black, Improved Celeste, Black Madeira, Strawberry Verte and anything that tastes good with a small or closed eye. If any of those choices are not good for my climate please let me know.
Thanks to all who make fig growing a little easier for us beginners.

Welcome to the wonderful world of fig confusion:)   Small pots and hot climates are a tough combination.  Any reason you don't want to put them in the ground?  

I am not planning on staying in this house for too much longer and would like to take most of my plants with and then put them in the ground. A few are in 15gal and others in 7gal. I use small pieces of plywood to shade my pots and a huge pine tree gives me shade after 3pm, they get slight shade around noon from the bananas. 

Welcome!  You should definitely be thinking about some of the fantastic tasting varieties that require a long season.  Col de Dame Gris, Noire and Blanc come to mind, as well as Panache and Black Madeira.  St Rita, Ronde de Bordeaux and Marseilles Black VS are good ones.  There are dozens that are great, you'll have to get a few hundred acres  :)

The roots of most plants (not just figs) start to lose efficiency in taking up moisture and nutrients at about 85F.  The trees I have growing in central Texas (even those in the ground) put on minimal growth during the hotter days.  This year the temps seem to have been slightly cooler than in previous years.  Several trees have put on tremendous growth.  Some are still lagging behind though.

As Wills pointed out, it is difficult to keep the roots cool in smaller containers.  You may want to get an earlier start next year and bump them up to a larger container before the heat sets in.

Hi Goodeats4me,
I would bury 5 centimeters of each pot in the dirt for the tree roots to escape the pots and be kept fresher.
The day you go, just cut the roots with a shovel by passing under the pot with the shovel, and you go .

Fig-trees have two growths per year with a rest time in between - so could be normal for them to rest after putting the first growth .
But to be sure, in the growing season, keep them watered twice a week with 10 liters of water each time ( or 10 liters each day or more if your climate is dry ),
keep them fed ( I use fertilizer in blue-bullets 10/10/10 once a month a full closed hand, and if I feel a tree wants more -and my brain is on- I feed every two weeks ).
Don't let root-sucker develop if you want growth on the main trunk- especially if those shoots are of no use for you.
I have a neighbor, he lets grow the root-sucker so that the tree grows like a bush, and then chops all the root-sucker and lets them dry out in the sun...
What a waste of energy for his tree - fortunately, not my money/fertilizer he is throwing away and not my tree that is slowed by all those unwanted stems .