I dug out the perlite, potting soil and compost and lifted my fig out of its old pot and into a new one.  A few weeks ago I grabbed the stem and lifted up.  No soil fell off and I could see mostly roots.  So this evening I repotted into a bigger pot about the size of a bushel basket.  I did not trim any roots off and I am asking more experienced fig folks when is the best time to do this trimming? 

In late Sept. or Oct. I'll be bring it in to spend the winter in the basement in dormancy.  I know I should be doing the bark off- plastic bag around the stem on the top 2 1/2 ft. but I'm just a little intimidated.  I so want to get a fig or two this fall.  Being that it is an Italian Honey Fig, I don't get brebas.   It is over 7ft. tall now. 

It's best to trim the roots when the plant is dormant.  Once dormant it's at your convenience.

Thanks for the reply.  Then I would assume at the end of dormancy, say next April?  I would guess it isn't good to take off a lot of roots and then put it down in the basement.  Mold or fungus?

Hi Greenbud,
How is the tree ? Fully leafed already ?
Is the tree in good health ? Or already struggling ?
If you trim the roots, that season is almost lost ... Normal, the tree needs to recover ...
If  you trim the roots, you need to remove some branches to match ... So making airlayers before is a good way to
not loose the branches you'll be cutting. Just my 2 cents ...

jdsfrance, the tree is leafing out nicely after I followed Herman's advice about pinching after every 5 leaves.  It is about 7ft. tall and sending up shoots around the base.  I haven't seen a fig yet so I'm giving it dilute waterings of miracle grow.  I know I'll have to trim the roots sometime but with repotting it I think I can leave it alone until next spring.  I know a fair amount about herbs and vegetables but zilch about figs.  But if I apply myself maybe I'll have a rudimentary knowledge about the time I shuffle off this earthly existence.