Today I uppotted one of my figtrees. Although I uppotted it about 3 month ago, the container was full of strong and healthy roots.
The tree seemed to do very well and put on a lot of new groth.

As I was doing that uppotting it came in my mind that I often read a fig eventually will produce more figs and less groth if the root space is limited...

What is your opinion/experience on that?

Christian,
IMO, it's partially true. Limiting (restricting) the root mass will cause stunted growth (closer internodal spacing) and will put the plant in "preservation" mode, where it will try to produce figs (seeds) to perpetuate itself. The "more fruit" will be due to the decreased nodal spacing and possible production of figs at those nodes. You would be creating Fig Bonsai trees. It may be possible to get good fig production in conjunction with proper limb pruning.

Since figs are produced at leaf nodes, "less growth" would produce less figs in a healthy growing plant. By restricting root growth and maintaining lower levels of fertilization you will be growing stunted plants that will produce figs, but not at the quality or quantity that the tree is capable of producing. A better procedure would be to limit vegetative growth by pruning. Just my observations.

Christian: In the spring, a fig tree used its storage energies in the roots to make leaves. Also, the healthy and vigorous roots provide and supply energies to the development of the figs. So, much of the tree energy is spent growing leaves and figs in the spring and summer. Therefore, the more roots the tree has the better flavor and taste in the figs. If you damage the root systems during these time, the tree will divert its energy to the roots to repair and make more roots. Therefore, the figs will have less flavor and they do not taste as good. So, I recommend you to plant your fig tree in a bigger pot. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you Tam and Pete for your opinion that both makes absolutely sense to me. I am glad that my uppotting was the right way to go. I hope my fig tree will respond with groth AND a lot of figs next season! :-D

In general, restricted roots means restricted growth, and at some point that has to limit nutrition and water intake and thus fruit production, IMO.

The above advice seems to tie in with my experience. The following exchange I had with Luke might be apropos:

Christian,
Your english makes perfect sense to me. All I can say in your language is no, I love you and tons of things I can't put on here.

Thanks Christian, another thing I can say in German in public :)

You're very welcome Christian, and yes, I'm Greek - Gk Cypriot by descent to be a bit more precise. I'm what's known as a BBC - a British Born Cypriot. But I have to tell you my name is nothing special in my mother country, and doesn't raise any eyebrows here either. It's as common as muck in Cyprus - the Cypriot equivalent of a Fritz in Germany, Jose in Spain, etc etc. It's a diminutive of Constantine, and means constant or firm.

But thanks for the compliment anyway. You're the first person to 'like' my name. Now, how much did you say I should write out on that cheque?

PS Aha, I see that you no longer 'like' it. Changed your mind already have you? Can't say I blame you. Cheque duly cancelled.

ok, just to bring it back to topic, can I pay you in figs instead?

Up until this past winter when I bought tons of different cutting (all from figs4fun members on eBay), most of my fig trees were purchased around 10 years ago from the now closed Paradise Nursery and Belleclare Nursery. The advice I got back then from them was that 1- fig trees like to be root bound (I never asked for an explanation why), and 2- when growing in containers to grow on pavement or similar surface so the roots aren't able to grow through the drain holes and into the soil below (and for added heat). I was told this would put more energy into plant/fruit growth and less into root growth). I grow all off these large trees in 24" x 24" round nursery pots on my driveway with an automatic irrigation hookup. I have always done it like this. This spring was my second root pruning in 10 years, and first heavy top pruning. I think the pruning and cold wet spring has led to the most unripened figs I have ever had. Very slow growth and late fig development this year. Many ways to grow and care for figs...just the method I use here. My new cuttings/trees are in 3-gal pots now. In the spring they will go into 16" x 16" round pots and remain in those pots until up potted to the 24" x 24" in about 4 years.

I'm rapidly running out of space in my small suburban garden, so growing in large free-standing pots is one option I can consider. I've never heard of root pruning tho. How does that work?

@Costas: Of course you can mate! This would be even better :-)


@Scot: Thanks for sharing your longtime experience! Now I have to do a little math to convert your size advices from inch into centimetres! ;-)

So next time I visit Germany I'll smuggle in some cuttings for you and get arrested by your customs officials - providing you visit me in prison.

Ich mussen enie spaziergang machen. Through the fig orchard, of course.

not sure if that's true. i think age of the tree has lot to do with what's going on. my VdB put on more figs every yr. i did root prune this spring, and it gave more figs then last.

Costas: Of course I would visit you in prison, but I don't think it would come this far. Our customs laws are not that strict!
For root pruning you might take a look here:
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/root-pruning-5364363?highlight=root+pruning


Jon: Very nice german...Viel Spass bei Deinem Spaziergang durch den Feigengarten!


Pete: Thanks for sharing your experience with me.

Christian - thanks for the link. I'll check it out soonish. 
PS If you visit me in prison, make sure you know how to play chess.

Alan - think I'll stick with the unrestricted root method, except for any trees that I might choose to leave in large pots of course.