Transplant with fruit or wait?

I just got a potted fig tree from a nursery. It has several small fruits on it. Should I transplant now or wait until fruit ripens? I am already in summer with days of 90* F or higher each day.

I'd put it in the ground with lots of mulch. A lot of mulch in the bottom of the hole to create a mini-hugelkultur bed wouldn't hurt either. The problem I have had with leaving figs in pots in the Southern summer is that you forget to water once and it can be burnt to a crisp. If you really don't have a place to put it and absolutely have to leave it in the pot, put a deep saucer under it that can make a fake water table out of the bottom 2". The figs and willows and bald cypress that I do that with come through the summer just fine.

Transplant with fruit now.
Even better yet only leave one or two fruit and kill the rest of the fruits the plant will put more energy into growing roots for a bigger crop next year.

Holzer's method for dealing with transplant trees with fruit on the tree is to dig up the tree, lay it on its side on the ground and cover the roots with a moist burlap sack. The leaves and fruits will dry up in a couple days and when you transplant the tree will focus on root developments instead of leaf and fruit development.

S Bengi wrote:Transplant with fruit now.
Even better yet only leave one or two fruit and kill the rest of the fruits the plant will put more energy into growing roots for a bigger crop next year.

Whenever I transplant, I ALWAYS remove 98% of the fruit the first year, regardless of planting time to promote strong root growth. Since you're planting in summer, I would remove all but one or two. Since you're willing to stay of top of watering while keeping it in the pot, there's no more watering needed by planting now and you'll lose a season's root development.

I've got a couple pears and peaches I put in this year with only 2-3 fruits each, just so I get some reward.