Following the information data existent when I started growing fig plants,It was indicated that cultivars that are natural dwaRFS,ARE GOOD FOR GROWING IN POT.
My conclusion from my experience now ,is that this was vendor propaganda.
At this point I found out that the best cultivars to grow in pot are the ones,that grow fast and large inground,because they are the ones able to take the stress,of growing in pot.
They also recuperate much faster and produce a crop,after the root pruning that is needed to be done,at certain intervals,and are done in Spring.
This is what I found out the hard way,and so I thought,some people that are looking for Dwarfs to grow in pot wil notice and change their mind,in order to be succesfull,in growing a nice plant that produce fruits too.

Hi Herman.

Much of the information on many topics, including agriculture, comes from universities.  I have been a professor for 20 years now (in law), and there is a lot of very important and useful research coming from our universities.

But there is also an ever present pressure to conform toward existing orthodoxy, and to get externally funded grants frequently supported by the industries the professors are researching.

Not surprisingly, much of this industry funded research ends up supporting conclusions that are financially beneficial for the industry funding the research.

And while this research is still often useful, and should be considered, it is no substitute for actual field experience and knowledge from those who are engaged in field work. 

When I first decided to grow some figs here, I was actually told by "experts" that the only viable choices in this area were BT and Celeste.  I have no doubt that's what the book said.  So I planted those, but then discovered from people with experience in the field here at the Fig Forum that there were many, many more and better choices.

So although your conclusions may be contrary to current orthodoxy Herman, I am also 100% certain you are correct.  And if we do not challenge and test existing orthodoxy, we will never find better ways leading to greater success.

Thank you for sharing this information Herman.  My brother is starting a collection in Maine (in pots), so I will forward this to him as well.

Best wishes to all.

John
North Georgia Piedmont
Zone 7b

Yes yes thats correct.
I have never understood when i saw a website stating mission is not good for container growing because of its fast growth .

Hogwash i say.
Any fast growing fig can grow in container if one knows how to care for it.
With paying attention to banch and root pruning its simple and enjoyable to watch them grow.
I have several that i consider in the catagory of "fast growing" in there first season.

Ronde de Bordeaux
Mission
Grise Olivette - was the smallest purchased in 4 inch pot and is almost same size as the other 2

I have also read in past the Violet de Bordeaux fig is a "somewhat slower growing plant"
mine from edible landscaping is very good grower as the time dated pictures i post prove it.
The petit negri type i do not grow so i cannot comment on that .

Just to note all my plants all of them get same strength fertilizer but 1 my ischia black.

In my experience, Martin's comments about proper tree management is 100% right.

I had a Movorvia Black Mission tree I bought in a 3 gallon container.  The tree was about 7 feet tall and had six branches (3 close to the top and 3 about midway up).  Over the course of one season, the 6 branches put on a total of about 5 inches of new growth.... the problem was the roots were overgrown.  It was so bad when I tried to drive a chopstick into the growing mix, it went in less than 1/2" and broke.  To date, it has been the hardest tree for me to bare-root (it took me about three hours to do).

Some trees can go many years without root work.  Others need it more frequently.  In the absence of root work the top growth of all trees will eventually slow down (both growth and fruit productions).

~james

I probably should start a new thread, but since rootwork was brought up in this one I'll just continue it here. 

Has anyone, out of necessity or out of having the time or just interest, here done the necessary root-work in the fall after dormancy, but before putting the plant away for the season? I know the conventional wisdom states that such work should wait until spring before new growth commences, but for those of us who put their plants away, we frequently have been surprised by new growth before it is safe to start bringing plants out or before potting materials are even available (or truthfully have defrosted enough to allow one to use them).

I have the feeling I am just going to have to blaze a new trail here.  I am sure a few of my plants could use some rootwork and I see at least one or two of them being experiemented upon this fall (Calvert comes immediately to mind).

thanks

~Chills

Chill
let us start thinking about your issue of 'root pruning in fall' in a separate thread otherwise this thread Will get overwhelmed with the root pruning posts (or will zigzag between the two topics)..

Hear Hear! I too have been surprised to have fig observations, contrary to received (University & otherwise) wisdom!
I was also surprised to find that my local University of AR horticulture department is open to input & conversation with local amateurs such as myself. (Went to a fine workshop they gave on High Tunnels).
I am new to ROOT PRUNING, but not to figs. Put one of my beloved Petit Negri's into a Muzynchko pot a few months back.  CAUTION: a late Spring transplant like I did can be disastrous. Last year's roots are neat & tidy but the whitish 4ft. plus long feeder root which I cut caused all the leaves to die back, so I basically lost a year--the tree is still in recovery mode. Looking forward to that new thread...