Might be a silly question, but has anyone ever used terra cotta pots for fig trees. I have a Lattarolla in a 6 gallon self watering pot (not a SWC/SIP). Wind keeps blowing it over. I was thinking a larger square terra cotta pot might add some stability.

Steve,

Back when the fig bug first bit me, I had problems with the wind blowing my 5 gallon buckets over.  I built a ladder out of 1X4 and supported the ends on cinder blocks, then I slipped the buckets in so they hung down.  The bucket and it's content acted as a ballast.  I didn't have any other issues with wind.  If your containers have a lip, something similar may work for you.

James, nice fig forest! Fig leaves everywhere!

Thanks, but that picture was from 2006 or 2007 in Houston.

I love them. I have many, they are all some version of a traditional pot shape-meaning no squares. I have never had a tree tip. Last year I started using more plastic pots for  all the newbies. As I figure out who is staying, they go into terracotta when I up-pot. If you are lucky enough to live near a clay pottery store, stock up in winter and early spring, the place by me discounts their prices 40% in the slow times of year.

In my part of the world it would be far too dry to use terra cotta pots - I'd be watering all the time. Too bad because they are so pretty. And I have a lot of them.

I second that, Gina. I have 2 large terracotta pots with figs. Two things to watch for in SoCal: overheating and overdrying. In June,July they must be watered almost daily. Last year I measured the pot temperatures in different types of containers, the clay was ok only if watered often. The results were posted over here on forum,, search for them.

Ah, here it is: http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/measuring-the-soil-temp-in-the-pots-6480114?pid=1279145342#post1279145342 Mind that it was near Los Angeles, the results might be different in your location.

Hi,
I would put the plastic pot in a Terra-cotta pot because of the weight when checking the tree - if you want to check if the roots are coming out or not ...

i would imagine terra cotta pots will be great for the figs. it will let the root "breath". but at the same time, needs more watering and the pot will break down sooner. 

I think that terra cotta clay pots planted with figs tend to dry up too fast for me.

Ah... but they are so pretty in TC pots.

If you are going just for the look and not the breathability of the pots, and don't want to have to water all the time, you can either line them with plastic sheeting (which isn't all that difficult), or as jds says, put a plastic pot inside the clay pot.

I've got 5 large clay pots that I can put 15 gallon plastic pots into. Then use mulch around the top to disguise it. (Planting directly into these breakable pots would be far too heavy to have to deal with for either moving or transplanting.) These will go in the front as decorative plantings.

(An image from the internet)