These trees obviously live in large containers along my driveway. ll the ones in the front row, closest to the driveway are ripening now.

Most are far earlier than usual, probably owing to our early, warm spring, but they are also clearly way ahead of all the other figs in the year.

The apparent difference is the reflected heat from the driveway. This give some clues to how to aid ripening by having such surfaces around pots and or in the orchard. Ones that absorb and radiate heat, and ones the reflect heat. This might mean that mulch, grass, etc, esp. in an orchard is a poor choice for ground cover.

I understand that in Phoenix and such places, this would probably make the environment too hot, but in cooler, shorter season climates, it might give some ideas on how to encourage ripening. Maybe even using a reflective material around the pots (like aluminum foil but larger and more durable).

Yes, even my area is cooler than ideal much of the time and I am probably going to keep my orchard free of groundcover for the same reason.  Are you trying to take the title of "driveway farmer" from Kerry? ;)

Some of these figs are 8-12 weeks earlier than usual, having been moved from less warm or shadier places to their current place along the driveway.

Another benefit of your driveway situation is probably higher nighttime temperatures.  Several years ago I read of a study in almond orchards which bloom early in California's Great Central Valley (start around Feb 7) and which are thereby subject to frost damage once the nuts set.  Orchards with bare soil had higher nighttime temperatures and were less prone to frost damage.  The report explained that groundcover (grasses, clover, etc. will absorb heat during the daytime but quickly release the heat once the sun sets while bare soil released the heat more slowly.  Many of us have probably experienced a warm concrete slab well into the evening following a warm summer day so I imagine that this also benefits your driveway figs.  Congrats on the early crop!  I'm hoping to pick my first Black Mission in a day or two and my first Panache in maybe a week.  Already had several Jurupa and also my first Vista of the season this morning.  Summer is nice.

That accords with what I would have expected. My first Vista should be ripe tomorrow, which is early because of the generally earlier and warmer season. It gets late afternoon sun because it is planted on the east side of the house. Didn't know any better 25 years ago, and there wasn't much space left.

In my balcony i have light beige porcelain floors and they reflect alot of light and heat.
this year i got my brown turkey to start fruting very early and now after we ate all the main crop fruits its starting to give another growth spurt with new leaves- is it possible to get a 2nd crop after the main crop?
anyhow i read it is also possible to disperese ripening times among trees of the same variant by planting in different shade enviromnets (south side of home vs north). 
an idea is to put wheels in pots undertray and move them to sun  when ripening is needed. (in long summer locations)
 
In the Gamra its written-whoever want a fig will always pick first in the eastern side of tree.

why not plant the trees in formation, then layer bricks down like one of those formal garden design for walk way around them? i guess one of those lighter color bicks or cobblestone might do the job and look very nice along with texture of the fig trees. as the tree grow, you can remove some back as needed.

Jon i understand what your saying in first post and hence the fig shuffle on driveway in early spring here to get them awake.
Always kept them during season on cement patio and on the landscape rocks and never used mulch on top of the pots.
But here climate is not like Phoenix or other hot summer states.

Hey Jon, thanks for posting this- We are moving this fall to a new house and so next year I will most likely be putting my figs on a paved driveway. I was wondering how that would affect the figs and this information is helpful in giving me an idea. Do you have to water the plants more frequently because of the increased temperatures? Do you think the density of the figs affects this at all?

This is true.  Last year I had 3 huge Hardy Chicagos that ripen sitting on my concrete driveway the last week of June.  Man I picked figs every other day!  This year they are planted out in my grassy container garden and so far this year had only one breba.  However, excessive rain we've had this year has not help either.  THat concrete heat does wonders.

Zach,

The pots in the front row, which get the most reflected heat do require more water. Probably a small price to pay if you get good, earlier figs, or figs where none ripened well before.

I am thinking if your temps are 75-90 this sh9uld really help. Somewhere above there it becomes too hot, and you need to have green ground covers that mitigate the temps.