I read in one of Tapla's posts (goodness, I've quoted him twice today!) that you could grow figs in marbles if you were willing to do the work. So, go for it, and let the rest of us know how it works out.
It might be of interest to you that in the former USSR they grow quantities of fruit and veggies in large, heated greenhouses, using hydroponics. I also visited a large greenhouse west of Colorado Springs where they were growing tomatos using automatic watering, as well as an enterprise in PA which was growing watercress using hydroponics. So, why not figs?

you've got three, why not try it with one of the three and if its a success, follow through with the others?

I would fear root rot and alternatively dehydration. Whatever set-up you choose would have to be powered to spray the roots regularily, and I know that even a single power outage would be catastrophic. Also, how would you handle a dormancy?

~Chills (just playing devil's advocate)

Eff,

If you want to make a trip to Bristol, PA (about 20 miles south of Trenton, NJ) there is a hydroponics shop with a fig tree growing in Hydroton on a hydroponic system.

So, why not figs? There were two potential downsides to growing hydroponically:

oThe environment is very humid. The leaves on the tree in the hydroponics shop had rust on them.
oThe roots mass was much smaller than I would have expected. I don't know how big of a factor this is. I'm guessing a well run hydroponics system will improve the efficiency of the root system.

~james

DEAR FF MEMBERS: ..... I KNEW THAT IF I ASKED A QUESTION REGARDING SOME OFF-BEAT METHOD OF FIG CULTURE, I'D GET PLENTY OF FEEDBACK FROM OTHER GROWERS.

I NEVER THOUGHT OF SOME OF THE BASIC QUESTIONS WHICH "CHILLS" AND "BJS496" PUT FORTH, WHICH JUST GOES TO SHOW ME THAT THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS IN THE DETAILS!!!

I THINK I'D BETTER KEEP READING ABOUT HYDROPONIC CULTURE BEFORE I MAKE A CHOICE. MAYBE SOIL MIXES AREN'T SO BAD AFTER ALL.

THANKS, GUYS, FOR PLAYING DEVIL'S ADVOCATE.

Hello
There is another issue and that is if hydroponically grown fig will taste like a good tasty fig or it will just taste like a radish. Most hydroponically grown stuff does not taste as good as grown in the soil. For example, I love cucumbers but I never buy hydroponically grown ones beacuse they taste awful to me, specially the seeds part. So, don't miss out on real good fig taste.

And, unless someone tries it out we will never know the answers to these questions. effdeevee, I still hope you give it a try....

TO ALL FF MEMBERS WHO GAVE ME THE INPUT THAT I ASKED FOR...

I CHICKENED-OUT WITH THE IDEA OF HYDROPONIC FIG GROWING !!!!!!!! YOU GUYS MADE ME AWARE THAT I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN THIS TYPE OF CULTURE MORE THOUGHT, ... BUT, THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I ASKED FOR THE INPUT. SO NOW, I'LL JUST STICK WITH THE SOIL MIXES. NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT, IF GROWING FIGS HYDROPONICALLY WAS A VIABLE METHOD OF CULTURE, WOULDN'T MOST OF THE BIG, COMMERCIAL GROWERS OF FIGS USE THIS ????

ANYWAY, THANKS FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND KIND THOUGHTS. I'LL STICK WITH WHAT WORKS.

effdeevee, I have been growing hydroponic figs for 3 years now, in hydroton pebbles, without problem...except for the nasty red spider mites that got blown in with the wind last year (neem and karanja oil to the rescue). But, I still got a nice crop of organic heirloom Violette de Bordeaux figs and they tasted wonderful! I grow several veggies hydroponically and they have all had spectacular flavor. You just have to start with good water (not fluoridated), pH balanced, proper hydroponic nutrients, and keep an eye on them.