This is my first summer growing figs. I have two two year old trees in 2 gallon pots, about 20 first year cuttings in 1 gallon pots and a few in the intial rooting pots. Most of the 1 gallon pots were just up potted over the past few days, so the are still adapting. I have them in the shade. The next two days wil be in the very high 90s. Is there anything i should do for them over the next few days i have been watering almost daily as is to keep them from drooping.

Thanks, i don't know if iy changes anything the 2 year old trees are in full sum all day. I could move them...

I have an air layered fig that I potted about 2 weeks ago. I have been keeping it in the shade and spraying the leaves with a spray bottle 2 or 3 times a day. I'm also using a moisture meter to check the moisture daily.  I have been keeping my rooted cuttings from this year in partial shade and  checking them daily with the moisture meter.

I would make sure that the soil on the 2 year old plants never dried out completely. Last summer when temps were in the high 90s for over a week I had to start watering my plants in 2G pots in the early morning and late afternoon. Eventually I just up potted them to 3 Gallon or 5 gallon pots

I was watching a gardening show on TV the other day that suggested morning watering was best, and that there are several complications and diseases related to watering in the evening.

I can't recall what the show was, so I can't found this comment within anything concrete.  I've turned to watering in the morning just in case.

So far this I have been watering mostly in the morning. Early on a few times I came home and they were a bit droopy. I watered them and they perked back up right away. So, I water them a bit before I go to work and I will check them again when I get home. I guess tomorrow will be a test to see how they do.

I do the exact same thing.  We have quite a heatwave going on.  worst part is, the damned mosquitos are out now down here, so I get bit about 20 times in the 5 abbreviated minutes it takes me to water everything.  I need to drastically cut back my nanking cherries and spray around the area with the bottle of "bug free backyard" I bought at the store, hopefully the mosquitoes will skeedaddle.

I've also read something along those lines, and it makes sense.
If you water in the morning there is always an opportunity for water on any leaves and such to evaporate and dry off, helping prevent fungus and other diseases.
Watering at night just sets up many of the ugly stuff to grow in ideal conditions, ie wet, humid and sometimes hot (at least with late spring, summer weather) that might hurt your plant.

Yeah, I was getting bit tonight. I know I have read to water roses in the morning for that reason. So they leaves don't stay wet. My problem is that I don't have much time in the morning to water everything. So, a lot of times my regular bushs and plants just get watered when I get home, but I try to just water at the base and not all over the plants. I need to work on a watering system. Hopefully one that doesn't involve getting up earlier.

Avoid wetting the foliage when watering to prevent rust.  Rust is already present on my fig tree and it just rained yesterday!  It is not bad but a few leaves are spotted and one or two have large spots!

We reached 99 today. My figs really just leafed out a couple weeks ago, I brought them out of basements May 20th.  They seem to be handling the heat well.  

I have a an inground tree that has what looks like rust on a few leaves. Is there anything you can do for that?

Keep the 2-yr trees soaked. The newly potted ones should be in the shade, and covered somehow to help hold in humidity (such as a greenhouse, or a frame with a plastic drop-cloth over it, or whatever. You need to control moisture loss, when rfoots are not developed enough to take up enough moisture, and where too much water will rot the roots.

The problem to with the timer is that I have stuff all over the yard. I don't know how I would get it all and keep the yard looking on without hoses everywhere.

I guess when to water depends on where you live. The timer for my young figs comes on at 2:00 pm every day, to give them a boost right when it's really getting hot. Seems to work well in this dry climate.

From my personal past experience,

a rootbound fig tree will need watering in heat several times a day and thats not good.
Ever notice how water will sit on top for a while before it drains into the mix or run off to the side and right out the drain holes .

The water has a hard time penetrating into the soil if there are so many roots blocking it passage.

The bigger the plant and the smaller the pot without root work is not good such as some types that are vigorous growers and have been in a 3 gallon pot for 2 full growing seasons for it probably needed root pruning the past winter if its a good grower.

Slip plant out of pot and a rootbound plant will have roots all around it making contact with the inside of that pot just cooking and helping make the plant suffer in the heat of the day.

Potting up is fine in a pinch in my opinion but many wait till the roots are very full in orginal pot say a 1 gallon pot then slip out and put into a 3 gallon pot and add soil.
Thats fine for a full growing season, on a semi vigorous plant after a full growing season it will be at or near rootbound, the faster a plant grows so do its roots and when the 90 degree temps hit it probably will need a lot of watering. 

It had been high 80s here recently, 90 yesterday 97 today and high 90s tomorrow my plants sit on landscaping rocks in full sun and some sit on cement patio in full sun. There doing well .

Some plants curl there leaves in sun no matter what like my Vdb , Pastilliere, Negretta - the pots are well hydrated and not root bound as i showed a forum member just yesterday that had stopped by and i said lift the pot its well watered which he did.
While others show little to no curl in the 90 plus heat like my hardy chicago, sals el.,dark port, ronde , jolly tiger.

You should paint the pot white during summer to reduce the temperature especially if it is black which can get really hot in direct sunlight in summer.

I would add Raspbery Latte to that list of trees that wilt in the sun no matter what. Those serrated leaves are always the first to wilt for me....

Thanks guys for all the good information! My pots are green they are that thin plastic like a cup. I will see if I can get some white paint. Today I will see what happens. The two older potted trees are Italian Honey and Mission. The Italian Honey has a few leaves that are curled up
Deisler, i guess that explains why they new cuttings perked up when I up potted they have more soil around the roots and hold more moisture. I will get the hang of this...

I agree with Jason Raspberry Latte & VDB EL are the first to wilt for me.

wow 8:40 am and already feels like 90 with the humidity should be in the 105 region by lunch thank god I got A/C at work.

71GTO--For a less aesthetic, but easier option, you might simply slip the pots into cardboard boxes or paper sacks. It creates an airspace between the pot and the box/sack, and will keep the roots cooler than if the sun was allowed to hit the pot directly--regardless of what color it might be. Other recent suggestions by forum members include partially burying the pot (if the holes are only in the sides) or nesting it inside another pot that's buried right to the rim, which would keep the root ball quite cool. You can search recent posts for more info.

It's funny. I have 15 different varieties sitting in self-watering containers (Thanks to Drivewayfarmer for trees and idea) in direct sun on a southern exposure.

No wilting, plenty of growth, just a touch of rusting on older leaves. I top off everyday even though I could go a a day or two in-between.

I have different colored pots ( Not Self-Watering). Tan, Dark Green, White and Black. Luckily I am home to jump out if it gets too warm. If I could do it again, I would invest in just tan and white.

As far as my new cuttings this year, I slowly acclimated to Northern sun and then used the larger fig trees as a canopy for filtered light in the Southern direction. I have had no wilting whatsoever. That's for about 15 diff. varieties. At times they get direct sun. Yesterday it was 85+ and they did great. They are in a Pro-mix/Perlite 50/50 mix, 1/8 strength Miracle Gro Triple 20- once a week. So far, so good

I put potted figs in a tight group and wrap around the outside with weed barrier fabric or an old sheet. Keeps the soil cool. I have also put potted figs into a larger pot, similar to what Ken does. You can also bury the pots.

I've often wondered why most nursery pots are black, it seems to cause real heat problems during the summer. Painting them white is a great idea, but I guess I like the extra warmth a black pot can absorb during the cool months.

There is a product called Azactrol that is a refined neem extract, not just oil like many seem to be. It is used as a antifeedant, systemic/contact pesticide and fungicide. I have found it much more effective than all other neem products I have tried, though i've not used it as a fungicide. It's expensive, but I believe it is fully organic.

Mike

I have over many in black 2g pots and having to water every other day.  I also have 50 or 60 spreadout in white pots.  Next Thursday my son and I will start trenching for the underground microsprinkler system.  Will be buying  my water timer this Friday so next week I should have my watering system installed.  I can't wait to have this system installed so I can do more with my time.