A sandy loam actually.  Apparently all my summer garden produce will like it, I'd assume figs would too...so made some. 

Its about 60% sand, 20% fine material and 20% organic matter.  It was a lot easier than I thought.   I'll be testing it out on some herbs first, but if works, my fig trees will be potted in it after all the fruit drops and the temperature cools.

I might actually bump up the organic matter...I havent decided.

Anyone else built their own sandy loam?  Does anyone have experience with growing figs in sandy loams? 

Sounds like too much sand. It will compact and remain wet in the root zone resulting in rot. Good luck though.

I make my own.  It is basically Al's gritty mix that he personalized for hot desert temperatures.  It drains really well, and my grapevines, citrus and figs like it just fine. 

For 100+ degree Desert Heat:

4 parts Turface
3 parts bark
2 parts crushed Gran I Grit (Grower Size) or #2 cherrystone  
1 part vermiculite

Plant a little high, and after the planting is established, mulch heavily with crushed granite.  1 Tbsp gypsum per gallon of soil

I also make my own mix, but live in a dry environment (low humidity, but not generally hot) and prefer something that holds more moisture so I don't have to water all the time. I don't have a formula, but mine has lots of screened compost and manure, plus a bit of perlite, some unscreened small bark, and whatever else I have on hand, but very little sand or garden soil. Like cooking, I mix it mostly by eye. My figs seem to like it and give me lots of lush, green growth. But mine are in relatively small containers - after rooting, from 1 to 5 gallon. I don't pretend to be a soil expert, but I know what works in my environment for my plants. :) YMMV

Suzi, is that mix what your non-growing Panachee is in?

Gina, yes, my non-growing Panachee IS in that mix, and after Jon told me to drown it basically, then put miracle grow on it, I picked it up to take it over to the hose, and realized I was probably "cooking" the roots.  The sun here is sooo hot!  That pot was HOT!  It's now growing in the shade under the grapevine canopy, so it is showing lots of new growth.

I use these nice grow bags for most plants, that have holes on the sides, and are dark inside and bright white to reflect the sun outside.  The poor little Panachee is in a regular pot.  After it goes dormant, I'll re-pot it into a better pot.

Noss, we have 1/2 gal emitters, and they run about an hour every other day on the figs and citrus.  Neither of those likes much water, but the grapevines can't get enough!  They get watered in the early morning and late afternoon.

I owe Jon big time for saving my Panachee, and can't wait till we find the dream property to plant it in-ground!

Suzi

Just walked outside to check on my Panachee, and it has one baby new leaf, an active growth tip and another leaf or shoot starting below!  YAY!

Thanks for asking Gina!  You made me look!
Suzi

Makes you feel good huh Suzi?

Good, it looks as if it's starting to take off.

When you re-pot it, you might consider using a mix that doesn't drain so quickly and will hold more nutrients. And sink it a bit below the soil surface (some roots will grow into the soil beneath) and mound mulch around it so the pot won't get as hot if it's eventually in the sun.

I've been making my own potting soil for years, not just for figs.  Organic matter far exceeds the amount of soil used.  This helps provide nutrients, and promotes good drainage.  The only fertilizer I add is blood meal, and comfrey tea during the season.

---------------------------------------------
Home Made Potting Soil

To fill a 10 gallon pot

1 part Compost
1 part Peat Moss
1 part shredded leaves
2 parts garden soil
16 oz ground phosphate rock
8 oz ground limestone

After planting in pots, top dress each pot with 1 tablespoon blood meal for
nitrogen.

What else could I add to melp with compacting?  Maybe layer wood chips or perlite or lava rocks in the pot?

Or maybe use a tall pot?  Maybe a wick...what can be used as a wick?

Peat moss, small pine bark nuggets, shredded cyprus, leaves, soil aka dirt, cheap garden soil from big box store, grass clippings, compost, perilite, composted cow/horse manure, run over weeds with lawn mower, alfalfa cubes (for horses) it has some molasses added, straw (use lawn mower and bagger) saw dust( not from treated wood or plywood), rock dust, horse stall refuse (compost for six months) rabbit feed, coffee grounds. Don't get wrapped around the axle with proportions...some where around 75% brown stuff, i.e. leaves or straw, 25% green stuff, this is your nitrogen, it makes the pile cook. Pile as high as it will stack and moisten while putting in a pile. Like a damp sponge...keep it simple add what you can when you can. Cover with cheap tarp...use something to hold down the edges. Turn every three days and keep damp or it quits cooking. Use a pitch fork for working. The heat will cook the bugs...add some green to keep the heat up. Don't use anything that's been sprayed with chemicals. JMHO

I have huge pile of all that, but it also seems to hold too much water.  At this rate I might just pot everything in rocks! 

I didnt know about the wood chips and sawdust stealing Nitrogen, would this also apply to wood bark nuggets sold for ground cover?

You'd be suprised how hard it is to find just regular dirt.  As of now, I'd be just looking to add more of my composted material to the sand mix.   

I just figured a sandyloam(supposedly most agricultural plants love it) would be benefical, but perhaps that would only be the case in ground, not necessarily in pots? 

CJ,

You will probably need to wash away most of that medium before you repot. Some say wait til dormancy. I have done it without harm to the plants during the growing season. Just be careful and don't shake the plant/rootball. I dip the root ball in cool water and gently agitate the roots until the soil washes away. Sould be very simple with such a sandy mix. Then add the new mix, making sure to get the new medium between the roots by tapping the sides of the planter. Good luck!