Does anyone have experience with self watering containers (SWC) or sub irragated planter (SIP)?  Specifically, I was wondering which potting mix works best for SWC or SIP.  I was surfing the internet and saw a site mention 70/30 spaghnum peat moss / coarse perlite as a good blend for SWC.  Also added was dolomitic limestone and slow release fertilizer.  This was used for general gardening.....tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, beans, etc. but in your opinion might this also work for fig trees?

Yep. But I add about an inch of dolomite lime above the potting mix that was inspired by Bellcare Nursery.

Could anyone chime in with some explanation(how to ) or links on self watering containers (SWC) ?

Here http://figs4fun.com/bills_figs.html
I used it, works well, but costly and require a lot more work to set up.

Http://www.globalbuckets.org

thanks for the links Bass and vince .

Jennifer:
Do you use the granular lime or powdered lime?

Don't use spaghnum peat moss it breaks down way to fast into a sludge. Try 60% pine bark 40% coco coir. With a dash of lime and azomite, then add in slow realize fertilizer. Or good fertilizer schedule.

Has anyone constructed the Globalbuckets as described in the video?

Mike ,
all of my 5 gallon sips are made that way.

Kerry thanks. Do you have or need any larger than 5 gal? I am thinking that 5 gal may not be large enough for
a good many of mine.

All but 2  of my 25 gallon pots are SIPs as well.
I think the 5 gallon SIPs are good until you decide you have a definite keeper and maybe even beyond if you root prune every 2 years (comparatively easy job in this size container) and expect a smaller yield of fruit per plant.
This old post shows the 2 sizes of SIP and some post in there mentions the soil mix I use , I think
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/NH-drivewayfarm-shots-5965155

I have to apologize for asking the question.  The second time I searched I found Kerry's post on the alternative to his local mix. The alternate being 6 parts ProMix BX to 1 part coarse perlite which is probably fairly darn close to the 70/30 spaghnum peat moss / coarse perlite I saw in another website. 

nullzero - does 60% pine bark 40% coco coir give good wicking action?

Kerry, I like the sound of the Pro-Grow 3-1.5-4

I am wondering if anyone living near a bayou has used these? My big concern is mosquito's. We already have so many that the state and county spray all summer.

Shouldn't be an issue. The SIP or SWC is an essentially closed system except for the overfill hole and small diameter pipe that you add water through.

I have used homemade 5 gallon bucket SWC's for about 5 years, but not with figs until now. I'm a fig newbie. I have just put my first rooted fig cuttings into "global bucket" type containers. I have had very good results with diverse range of plants like peppers, tomatos, citrus and strawberries in SWCs.

I planted my fig cuttings in the same mix I've settled on for other plants:
4 parts ProMix bx
1 part perlite
1 part NAPA floor dry 
1 heaping Tbsn osmocote per 5 gallon container
1 heaping Tbsn water polymer crystals per 5 gallons container

This mix gives plenty of wicking action for the Arizona desert, almost too much. The water polymer probably isn't needed in more humid climates and maybe more perlite and less floor dry as well. I'll see how it works for figs, it's a good performer for peppers and citrus for a one or two year container life. The fig cuttings I'm starting are intended for a 2 year evaluation with the best 2~3 going inground and the rest going away. One caveat is that my tap water is alkaline (about 7.5 up to 8 pH) and pretty salty. I choose not to add lime because we typically fight high pH and get plenty of calcium in our water. I use Dyna foliage pro fertilizer very sparingly when plants show they need something and I flush buckets at least twice a year to limit salt build up.

Anyone with any pointers for figs, commenting would definitely be appreciated.

The topic of mosquitos and SWCs came up earlier in this thread.  I have several of these that I made the usual way - from two 5 gallon buckets with the bottom bucket being the reservior.  When I was adding water via the pvc pipe the other day I noticed a mosquito fly out of one of the overflow holes.  This got me wondering if the mosquitos are breeding in the bucket.  I need to check out the reservior for the presence of larva but am kind of afraid of what I will find.  Has anyone else noticed this and, if so, have you come up with solution for keeping mosquitos out?  Screen could be put around the pvc pipe but even more importantly would be to somehow block the overflow holes with screen.

I wonder if just adding a bit of mosquito dunk or Gnatrol (i.e. something with BTi) to the water in the container would do the trick.
I am adding Gnatrol to my water when I water my figs to try to keep the fungus gnats at bay.  Early in the summer (I'm guessing mid to late may) I noticed that one of my outdoor plants (not a fig) on my deck is sitting on a rolling plant dolly that collects water.  There were tons of mosquito larva in it.  On a whim, I put a splash of my top-off water (containing Gnatrol) in it.  When I looked 2-3 hours later all the larva were dead.  I've been watching it all summer and intentionally not dumping the water that it collects.  I have not seen any mosquito larva in the water through the whole summer.  Also, we've gotten lots of rain, so I believe this dolly has filled and overflowed multiple times (i.e. the water has been turning over).  However, there must be enough residual BTi built up that it is keeping the mosquito larva in check.
I've been thinking about using some SWCs so this is what I might do.  Stuffing some mesh into the water/drain holes might work, providing they don't clog up.
Jim

Yes, mosquito dunks are probably the easiest solution.  From what you saying, maybe a couple treatments per season would be enough.