Sorry, I know this has been discussed but I'm not 100% clear.  Right now I don't have anything on top of the soil in my potted figs.  Figure I should for moisture retention during winter.  Should I use Pine Bark or Orchid Bark?  I'm trying to stay with an organic brand.

Found this at Lowes:  http://www.lowes.com/pd_68910-1300-5019_0__

In my opinion it doesn't matter as long is Organic and with there natural color.
If I remember correctly I think I used pine on mine. I have mine on like 2-3 inches.
its a very good thing to have

In general, I do not like top dress my containers. I find the roots like to grow into the mulch layer. This becomes a problem during the summer when the mulch gets dry more quickly than the rest of the container. An alternative I am planning on using a light colored canvas (available through nurseries and your local coffee roaster [not Starbucks]) to cover my containers. The fabric will allow water to pass through while shading the container from sun.

James, that makes sense, thanks. On that note I'll skip it.