One gets a feel for the container each individual fig is grown in by lifting it from lip of container.

After a good watering you can feel its weight as each container starts to dry you can feel the difference by doing the same.

When you know the figs are several weeks from ripening its best to go easy on the watering or risk as they ripen splitting and spoiling the figs.

One gets a knowledge of time they get ready to ripen by counting days when they first emerge early in season and some types take longer some less.That is known by getting familiar with type grown after several years one gets an idea and your climate they are grown in.

Personally fertilizer is debatable use what you can afford, i use water soluble MG for many years with no problems at all .

I stop fertilizing around August.

Martin