I don't have many to compare, but plants in pots, even if younger than in-ground trees, were consistently ripening before their in-ground relatives this season. Might be something to consider in climates and locations with marginal seasons, even if they do not have frost/freezing issues. It seems even more significant when you consider that smaller, younger trees generally ripen later, not earlier than their older cousins.

Is that the extra heat at the roots? Or the fact that they can be positioned in sunny spots more easily? Or maybe a stricter care regimine? Or all of the above? I don't expect answers, but appreciate the observations. I did note that the tree I have on my deck in a pot grew more rapidly than the ones in the ground (counter to some observations when comparing the two). In the ground of course requires much less attention.

Steve,

Not extra heat - if anything these are trees which are closely packed together and getting more shade than in ground trees and less of the hotter, afternoon sun. They are irrigated more frequently because they are in pots, otherwise nothing special that I can identify.

I was wondering if the crowding of the roots in the pots might induce earlier ripening. Didn't notice which broke dormancy first, but I wasn't expecting to make comparisons last spring.

That's interesting. I would think that ground temp stays cooler than potted soil so that's an obvious difference. The sunlight may or may not be different. Certainly the watering is different. Could it be that we tend to keep potted soil more moist than that for in ground trees? That might explain why the crowded and shaded trees show the effect because they evaporate water less.

What I've noticed from trying to grow figs in the ground up here in Rhode Island is that the ground heats up much slower.  The potted figs start growing much sooner than the planted ones.  I gave up on in-ground figs for that reason.

Fignut - that's what I would have believed about the ground temperature. The observations of Jon seem contrary to this idea.

If anyone else has observations to add, please do.

It doesn't necessarily contradict Jon's observations.  The fact that the pots are shaded doesn't mean that the soil in the pots is cooler than soil under in-ground figs sited in the sun.  With a smaller amount of soil pots would probably rise to the ambient temperature more rapidly in the morning than the ground would, and the whole root mass would be affected. For in-ground figs,  greater soil mass could slow temperature fluctuations in the deeper soil levels, and not all the roots would necessarily be heated to the same temperature.
To find out for sure, you'd pretty much have to check if the pots are warmer and the soil cooler (or vice versa), and how much and how long cold water affects the temperature.
I think that roots of potted plants that have been stopped by pot walls have a big effect on the plant inside.  I've seen it often in other genera, and it wouldn't surprise me if figs react by fruiting earlier.

Fignut i thnk your right, i think an experiment with a tomato plant which i here likes a warm soil, i know when i start my tomato's from seed in seed planter and then transfer them to garden neighbor sayd Martin you will know when that soil hits the right temperature cause they will take off, you know he's right cause after a while they just jump up and seem to really grow and ive been growing here in my yard for almost 20 years gosh im getting up there. So i wonder i never tried it but if one was to take seedling tomato plant and put some in containers and some in garden which would grow faster and get tomato's, now i might be wrong but would it be similar as doing a fig test i ask. As for me i only grow figs in containers for me its easier so i do not know but Fignut posting sounds logical to me.
Martin

Good points about the potted soil temp. You are correct, I was thinking that the sun exposure did most of the heating, forgot my basic physics for a moment. So what might be the cause of the response of the roots to the pot walls? Maybe some sort of "trauma" response causing earlier ripening to insure the plant survives?

I don't think it is trauma.  For some reason when the roots of a potted plant hit the bottom of the pot, the plant redirects energy into the top of the plant and there is a growth spurt.  I'm at the point now where I don't have to knock the plant out to check - I know when I see that "jump" that the roots have hit the bottom of the pot.
What happens with Dianthus (Carnations, Sweet William, Pinks, etc.) is interesting.  If a small plant that has over-wintered (a lot of perennials need a cold period to flower) is put into a bigger pot, the roots have to reach bottom and become established before the plant's bloom period (May - June) or the plant will not flower that year - even though the plant had a cold period.  The root condition seems to allow the plant to initiate the flowering stage when the environmental signals trigger it.  It is not a good idea to equate Dianthus with Ficus (or anything else), and assume the situation is the same.  But though we don't ususally think of it that way, figs are flowering plants and it is a possibility.
Plants seem to have "switches" or "triggers" that start new stages of growth.  There is a very interesting change with Ivy.  As long as Ivy has something to grow on (a tree, a house) it stays juvenile.  When the new growth starts flopping around with nothing to climb, it signals the plant to pass out of the juvenile stage into the mature stage, and there is a major change - the Ivy vine becomes tree-like. 
This isn't very scientific - I can't give you the internal changes the plant goes through - but I've seen what I'm describing.  

Great observations and some very plausible explanations. Does anyone have observations to share on potting-up figs. Based upon Fignut's info, you would expect that potting-up would cause the tree to put out new growth at the expense of fruit (flowers). Same should be true with root pruning.

Steve,
my uncle who used to have some in pots and in ground showed me long time ago how he root prunes (his way) isay it like this because everyone does their own little thing and if it works best for them they usually stick to it especilly him as he just did things that way. Anyways all he did grab by trunk with pot on side and with a shark long knife cut slits from top to bottom every so often all around the rootball and then trim with sicsors all around the roots sticking out shakes the loose soil out and then adds back New soil what needed every 2 to 3 years. I follow this and see no change in fruit production the following season. Its not the right way or wrong way as i do this now but works for me so thats how i do it as well.
Hope this help and gives you more idea's to work with.
Martin

This is a condition that I see each year ... my container figs ripen at least a month earlier than my in-ground.  I attribute the difference to the earlier wake-up in the spring.  In my area my outdoor figs break dormancy in mid-May.  My containers, stored in the garage for the winter, break dormancy in April.

-Steve

Trying to figure out what is going on when you have more than one factor involved can be difficult. 

SteveNJ, You do get vegatative growth by putting a plant in new soil.  And it sometimes stays vegetative (Dianthus) even after environmental cues (day length, temperature) would normally start the flowering process.  For some reason it appears the roots are involved in whether it "shifts gears" and changes stages.

>>> And it sometimes stays vegetative
I have been tying to air-layer one specific (dark) fig variety - a green shoot,
since 08/14/08 with no apparent sign of any progress. It is now becoming
late in the season and I just give up.

A lot to chew on. I'm still scratchin' my head on this whole thread. I think I some quite time to reread this and ponder it some more. Everyone keep adding your thoughts to this great discussion.