If I plant a newly rooted cutting in the ground this year, how much growth do you think it would get? 

I know about the varietal differences pertaining to growth rate, and the vigor of the cutting and so forth.  I've read some comments from members about the very slow growth on some of the trees - like 1 leaf in a year?!  I have some unknowns, VDB, Qalaat al Madiq, LSU Purple - yes I'm rooting my own tree lol ;)  And I don't remember what else I have.  I am not sure what I will put in the ground - especially the hedge aside from the LSU Purple.  AND I am not sure if I will plant them in ground this year - just thinking and planning.

I was pretty impressed with the tree a bought last year and how much it grew!!  About 3 1/2 ft in the height with some new branches that budded out in May that grew about 4 1/2 ft! 

First picture was taken in March 2012.
The second picture taken in Jan 2013.

Thanks for the responses!

   I have some unknown dark fig trees(all the same variety) that I rooted and planted last spring(2 in the ground & 1 in a 2gal pot). They all started off very slowly and then around July they took off and started to grow like crazy.  By the end of the growing season the 2 in ground trees were 4 1/2 feet and 5 feet tall, and the potted tree had to be transplanted twice into larger pots and grew to about 3 1/2 feet in height.
   On the other hand I have an Ischia White seedling that was planted in a pot at the same time as the others, and at the end of the season it had grown lots of beautiful leaves, but was only about 10 inches tall.(same soil mixture, same location in the yard, same care as the others) ??  So In my case I think it had a lot to do with variety.

I am really looking forward to planting my figs in-ground this year. 

Jo-Ann, I'm pretty sure if the conditions are right, the height and vigor of the tree are inherent in the variety.  For instance, someone sent me one cutting (only one chance) of Raspberry Latte.  It was a surprise, and one I embraced!  That little cutting has gazillions of roots and lots of shoots!  It is a very vigorous grower, and easy rooter too!  I have heard that in the ground, it can grow to 80' tall!   Of course, how do you get all the figs from a tree that big?  :-))

So, we prune, and share cuttings with our fig buddies, and figs with our family and neighbors!

Good luck with your in-ground trees!!
Suzi

Great idea JoAnn.  This spring (2013) I'm going to get a photo of my two inground trees I planted in November 2012 then compare the photos in spring 2014. 

Steve - I admit I am a bit of a fig-natic when it comes to my tree and the garden in general!  I have the photos in files according to month.  I was thinking of doing more sub files but I didn't want my S.O. to get any more concerned about my mental stability LOL LOL 

I am going to spread the cuttings around to co-workers and friends, I already have a list going.  I am hesitant about giving away special figs since they don't know about them to begin with, and I have only a couple of this and a couple of that - I need insurance!!

Joann if you plant a cutting in ground I would think it should grow larger and faster than if potted. If it's the only one of a certain variety then you should be able to get yourself an air layer off it just incase something were to happen to it. That way your S. O. wouldn't have to worry about your mental stability if you lost it, the tree that is, not your mind. Lol

There are a lot of variables to your answer.  Tony is right, it will out pace your containers usually, in my area, by 2X.  In the crappy soil I have here and the extreme hot/dry summers, I average about 2' of growth for first year cuttings.  The later I get them in the ground the less growth I will expect.

Many years ago, I had an extra rooted cutting of Petite Negri which I had received from George.  It was basically a stick with 2X2" roots on it.  I sent it to a (no longer active) Gardenweb member in LA. He sent me a picture of it towards the end of summer and the tree had three main trunks.  Each one was about 4.5' tall.  The 2nd year tree I kept (in a container) only put on about 1/3 that growth the same year.