Hie all i have some figs fruiting now during this first month of summer in Melbourne Australia. 

I was wondering what factors affect the size and amount of figs to be produced in terms of nutrient , sunlight and watering? 

I have given my fruiting figs (at the first sign of buds) a potash rich fertilizer 6-3-9 and give them a seaweed drink every 2 weeks as per label. I also make sure the potting medium is moist. They are in a full sun position and receive about 8 hours of sun. 

Do i need to interfere more or should i just water them when needed and top up the fertilizer as per label? 

Here are some images of my fig babies :)

White Genoa: ~2-2.5 years old and bought as an advanced tree approx 3 feet tall.





White Adriatic: Nursery (Diggers) claims its a year old (when i bought it in May this year).
 

Dwarf Brown fig. ~12 Months old

 
  

Hi, What zones is Melbourne?

Happy roots = Nice figs. I see your using black pots, if they get too hot it stresses the roots- try to cover them.
I would use also compost since it enhances the water holding capacity o soil.

Melbourne  has a USDA equivalent zone of 9b. My pots are sub irrigated by the trays/saucers underneath the pots and they are sitting on top of a compost heap in a half cut IBC tank  (for space and sun purposes.) This way the sides of the pots are never exposed to sunlight only the tops. I have checked the soil temps and they are cool for the ones with leaf mulch. i'll mulch the others as well. Thank you for your advice!

ooh i don't think i would be brave enough to do that to my figs haha

Since most varieties only have main crop figs, and figs are only produced on new growth (current year's growth), whatever influences the amount of new growth will clearly affect how many figs you get.

Keep in mind that each cultivar has its own limiting normal size. Good care can help increased fruit size but obviously proportional (relative) to the cultivar natural limit that differ for each cultivar.

Sun soil and water.

Personally, i hate using any chemicals, including fertilizer.
I use molasses and fish emulsion.
i also use compost, worm castings, diatomaceous earth, coffee grounds.

i added about 3 inches of grass and weed mulch , then,
about a month later, i added 3 inches of leaf mulch (several species)
before winter.
i look under all that mulch, and i see LIFE.
i see springtails, worms, lizards, spiders and everything is moving and alive.
all those critters create a waste stream....
that IS fertilizer.

I would invest in a soil+PH test before using a chemical fertilizer.
but, thats just me.
some soils can be high in certain minerals like calcium
or, even potash.
if you add more, you risk locking out the ability of the plant to take up other nutrients.

some plants have higher demands than others.
banana, papaya, fig...
these grow faster, and need more readily available nutrients.
Maybe i am lucky, but i can grow all of these with very little changes in my soil
but, then i have worked on my soil for a couple of years
plant diversity, natural mulches can increase soil fertility.

grow some comfrey and use that as a natural mulch

9B?  Colt, you're in a land of sunshine! I'm burning with envy, just beginning my winter in Toronto - I'm in zone 6. My body was engineered for Palermo.

To my knowledge you're doing everything right. You have great growth for such small trees. Certainly as good as I've seen.

Do you have a good source of composted manure? Apparently your best, safest option.....
If you have time....please post a pic of the sun....sigh...

Have a great summer!

Yep all my fig pots are sitting on a compost heap that has been "brewing" for about 6 months now. I will save some for my figs but most of it is reserved for my strawberry farm i will build in about 6 months  :). Do your figs ripen in time in Zone 6?

Glad to hear....Can't beat the organic matter....

Figs ripening in time....To be accurate "My" figs have not yet ripened in time however as a relative novice I put it down to inexperience. I sort of figured it out towards the end of last season. A combination of early protection, pinching and the right type of fig. I'm very optimistic for 2017.

That being said, many around here are doing very well. There are many successful figs growers in and around Toronto. North of me we have some forum members growing tons of figs into zone 4. It takes a lot of extra work though.....Getting an early start while protecting them from frost etc...

Have a great figging season...

Greenman62:  I like the way you think.

Here is my take. To get the most fruit production your plants need to be stress free. Any stress early in the season reduces overall health and future production. My theory is simple, just keep your trees stress free. How you go about that is up to you.

Yeah all my plants appear to be stress free, in exception of the LSU Gold and the pink Jerusalem. The LSU Gold appears to be bouncing back as it is producing 2 figs and about to break open some buds since its early summer transplant. 

Organic is the way to go. After the success of my first compost bed (see below) I have decided to start another. Why buy bags of compost when you can brew your own black gold?

 
New Bed...Rather than adding to the one above i thought i would let that compost even more and then start a new bed. When the first bed is done and fully composted in a month or so, i'll bag it up and start a new one. Come winter i'll refresh the mix in my fig and other tree containers as well as start my mini strawberry farm :)
 

 I too am in a 9B zone, on a mirror-reverse hemisphere though.   When temps here top 43C*, about 75% of my trees suspended all growth and fruit production.  Applying 40% shade cloth protection made them all happy campers again.