Last year was the first year I was using a good mix for every tree and had plenty of pots to keep up with the growing trees. So I ended up with a lot of trees in 10,15 and 25 gallon pots by the end if the season. I was up potting at various points during the summer, so some trees were not in a 15 or 25 all season long.
     The tree in the pictures was in a 15 all season long. I have seen people mention in many topics that 15 is there final pot size or that a tree should be able to stay in a 15 gallon pot for two seasons. This tree doesn't look like it's totally root bound, but don't know if I would get a whole other season out of it with issues. The tree isn't even as large as iI have seen some in this size pot. This isn't the only tree I have like this after one season. If I can only get 1 season from a 15 then what will I get from a 25? I was really hoping to get at least 3 seasons from a 25g. What do you guys think? I don't think I'm doing anything wrong since the trees are growing nicely, but do I let trees like this stay a whole second season? How are you guys getting two season or more out of a 15g pot? 

that doesn't look bad to me. i did root pruning this winter. the roots circling the pot were worse than your pix, but it was only about 1" deep. my trees stay in 10 gal as final. they went into 10 gal in 2011. i did emergency root prune last yr since the water wasn't getting to the roots. found out if you poke holes in the soil every month or so, water will get to where they need to.

this winter was the scheduled root pruning. i cut 2" all around top, bottoms and the side. took third of the rest of root ball off in big wedge after that. when i looked inside, roots were not bound, and since i aerate every month, the water was getting to the root.

Let experts comment on it but I personally would not consider this as rootbound tree just because the roots came out o the edge and circled. The roots are skinny and there is still a lot of loose soil for growth. However, if it is so easily out of the pot then prune the visible circled roots or remove some soil and prune more roots.
In case of root bound trees, the circling roots are thick that makes soil compact and then surely it needs root pruning.
There is nothing wrong in pruning at this stage of your plant if you have time on hand but it is no problem if you miss root-pruning this year.

Thanks guys, I agree it's good now. I know a few topics on this subject has pics of trees that look similar to this and recommended up potting, however they were usually smaller trees and pots. I just wondered if by July this will be a pot full of roots.... This tree isn't a sure shot to be a keeper, so I don't want to go to a 25g just yet.

71GTO,
Minor root pruning while dormant should be relatively easy and should extend the time between major root pruning or bare rooting and can be done yearly.
IMO, removing an inch or two off the bottom, with a saw and / or making vertical cuts (1 inch deep slices) in 2 or 4 quadrants with the saw should be more than enough to extend the season in that container. It will stop circling roots and promote branching of pruned roots inside the root ball.
Good Luck.

That's not root bound in my opinion...

Are you interested in growing roots, trees, or fruit? If you want good fruit forget about the roots and concentrate on fruit. The tree can be much more rootbound than that and still have plenty of vigor for great fruit. Best fruit comes from a medium to lower vigor tree. So you only need to repot or up pot if vigor isn't enough to grow good fruit.

An overly vigorous tree in a big pot with great roots will set little fruit. And fruit quality may be reduced.

It's not root bound yet but it will be in another year or so. I finally wen to half 55gal plastic barrel. But one thing to consider is in a soilless container, root go deep depending on the medium. I'm turning all my pots into self watering pots, just like the ones Bill has. Trees in Swp are less maintenance. But folks will argue that it takes a lot a time and work to make the pots. To me, its a trade-off. Either way, it's going to cost you something.

I put my pots on bare ground and let the roots grow out of the pot.  Usually a lot of roots stay connected when I put them in the garage so this Spring they'll start with a big hunk of roots outside the pot.  That way it matters less what's happening inside the pot as long as a circling root doesn't choke off every other root.  If your pots are on concrete you can cover it with 6" - 20" of mulch and get a similar effect.  :)

IMHO now that you have it pulled out of the pot I would up pot to the 25gal. That root ball you pulled up is able to hold up all of the soil in that 15 gallon

Thanks for the opinions guys. I think I'll cut the circling roots and see how the season goes. I don't want to throw this one in a 25g if I don't know if it's a keeper. Last year was a bad year with the weather. I don't think I got a ripe fig from this tree because they set so late. I have a bunch in 15g pots I would hate to move them all up last year was to much work. I am looking forward to just bringing them outside this year and not going crazy bare rooting, root pruning and up potting, lol.

GTO  -good choice reading your above last posting.


Young tree still adjusting it crop timing and you have not tasted the figs as of yet.
Use sharp box cutter from top to bottom slice the outer circling roots put back in pot add mix as needed.

Late in season if you like the figs taste come dormant season you should root prune plant properly
or it will begin its decline .

Sure one can grow plant for longer in same pot with no rootwork etc but is it good for its overall health - no.

Marcus,

It is not root bound. You can get another year out if it if not another two.
As for going to 25gl. What are you going to do in a couple year? Go up? Or root prune? If you have the space and the strength then by all means go ahead and move to a larger pot.

But if space/strength are limited then 12gl to 15gl. IMO are ideal pot sizes.

Just my 2 cents.

Good luck

Thanks! Rafed, 25 is as big as I want to go! I don't think I could deal with bigger. That's why I really don't want to throw this in in a 25g just yet. I can keep it happy in a 15g permanently maybe I'll do that and just keep 25g for my best trees. My fear was that I would need to keep going bigger to keep the trees happy.

when we talk 12-15 gal, is it nursery pot size or actual volume of the container? i'm targeting 10 gal by volume in plastic tube with rope handle or similar size. need to up pot 6 into them this spring... i'm really out of space. then there are blueberries coming in too. i want bb to start off in 10 gal. i might have to go down to 3 gal.

Pete,

I'm talking about the container size. Actual volume in the container varies from person to person. It is what you like. Some people like to fill to just below 2" from the top. Some more some less. So the volume fluctuates.
I like to fill mine to at least an inch. And sometimes I might level off with mulch.

@Marcus,
If you can handle it then do it. Just don't forget the maintenance part of it. The bigger the heavier.

Yeah, maintenance is ok, I would hate to root prune and bare root every year. I have been ok with a 25g when using 5-1-1 type mix. I'll see how I'm in a few years...

71GTO,
One major factor that actually determines the container size that has not been mentioned is the actual tree size or canopy size. If the tree is pruned to a fixed size for a fixed quantity of fig production, the container can be down sized accordingly.
As an example, last season I was able to get 5 - 6 dozen figs on several different cultivars in 5 gallon buckets. If that limited production was my goal, I would prune to the same small canopy shape and size, I could then maintain the trees in the 5 gallon buckets for several years with balanced root and branch pruning.

I think Pete has it right. But I'd add more. I think some people find they need to keep chasing pot size because they are growing their trees too fast. Too much fertilizer and too much water equals very rapid growth. Very rapid growth reduces fruit production. If one slows the plant down you can get the kind of production Pete gets in small pots. To me that seems ideal especially for testing lots of cultivars to see what's best. A dozen figs per gallon is a lot. Can one really get over 25 dozen in a 25 gallon?

Steve,
I agree about the smaller sized containers. IMO, the 5 gallon buckets or #7 Nursery pots seem to be about the perfect size for testing a cultivar for growth habit, fig taste and can be used for several years, with simple root and branch pruning. Also they are easy to move and winterize.
What I've actually observed is not over fertilization but that most in ground and potted fig trees (in large containers) have more abundant older unproductive wood. The opposite is needed, since figs are only produced on 1 year old and younger wood.

Bill Muzychko of Bills figs in NJ uses 25 gallon SIPs and wrote, "Each of my mature trees (I mean 4 years old or older) have between 200 and 300 figs on them during a growing season."

Pete:

I agree. The Japanese stepover fig production is a good example. Pruning is very important but proper vigor is also important.

Thank you for all this information. I will try out some of these techniques. I think I have enough trees to experiment with.