So it's my first year starting trees from cuttings.  I did a couple of air layers last year but that was my extent with fig trees.  I'm wondering how tall a cutting might reach by the end of this year if I started it in Feb 2013.  I know it's kind of a general question, seeing how cuttings are not all equally energized.  What have you all experienced with 1st year's growth?

A lot of factors come into play, but you should expect at least 2 feet. I've had anywhere from 2 to 5 feet of growth. If you have a long growing season then of course you get the maximum potential of growth.

Frank, for me its really a function of the type of fig and the health of the plant in terms of vigor and roots, some are slow others take off, the cuttings this year have taken off for several types, others grow a few leaves and are happy but just sit there, other years they all just sit there. The ones I rooted this year with the big root masses really have started throwing out not just leaves but muliple branches which is somewhat not standard for my years of rooting. I attribute the quality to the folks here who sold or gave me the stock.

I'm not expecting much growth from the ones that started with very thin shoots.  They just seem weak.  Like you mentioned, others thrive.  I have several that have shoots as thick as the cutting, which I'd say is pencil thick.
Thanks for the input, gentlemen.  Looking forward to hearing other replies.

Frank,
Last year I had at least 6 trees go from 6 inches to 6 feet. The growth a healthy fig in good soil that's fed enough can produce is impressive. On the other hand, I have plants struggling with FMV that grow very little. I think your question is very hard to answer as there's so many variables.

from my limited experience, 2 feet is good enough if i leave the cutting in 1 gal the first yr. providing it's a healthy cutting with ton of potential, up potting on time and good fertilizer regiment will provide greater growth.

Thanks guys.  I knew it was a general question, but interesting to see how the results vary.

Frank I started 40-45 cuttings this fall from some very generous members here and others bought on ebay . It amazed me to see the differences in size within the same variety. Size/thickness seemed to be a factor with all else being equal , that is soil, water and sunlight. I think end/node cuttings ( I hope I'm stating that correctly) and those w/o would make a difference too. On that point I didn't take note on my cuttings and should have . 

I am normally seeing 2-3 feet on ones started in march or April, from February those ones are about 2-3 feet already, so I would expect about 5-6 from them.

When do you generally up pot from a 1 gallon?

When the roots fill up the pot, about 2 feet tall more or less for me.  I don't let them get too root bound but I get carried away sometimes and up pot about times in the summer which also may not be great (especially not for my back.)

Thank you for the info, until tonight I was under the impression people let them sit in a 1 gallon for the first year. Good thing I bought a bunch of 3 gallon grow bags :)

My results are similar to above, mgg and others.

Slow growers and "non-thrivers" (that's two different classes) --  maybe a foot or 18"
Vigorous growers:  6 feet, sometimes with multiple branches (and even multiple trunks/limbs).
Typical:  2.5 - 3.5 feet.

Last year I got a bunch up to 5 gallons (they were taking off on top growth and getting rootbound), a couple up to 10 gallon, others only up to 3 gallon. A few that were very slow to start growing stayed in their 1 gallon pots.  Good promix soil made a huge difference in growth.  I do have a short growing season up here in the north.

Mike   central NY state, zone 5

Frank...two winters ago I rooted a couple of unknown dark cuttings( first time rooting )...both cuttings survived to spring time and were planted in the ground...at first there was little noticable growth, but by late June, early July they both started to come on strong, and by the end of the growing season one was over 4 1/2 feet tall ( the other grew to about 2 1/2 feet )...no explaination for the difference in size...they were from the same mother tree, and were planted only about 12 or 15 feet from each other...but for a first time effort, I was very satisfied.

Great info.  It makes growing figs that much more exciting since you just don't know what to expect!