Pluses and minuses to both approaches. Depends on the state of the roots and how much you will need to root prune when you plant it. If it is root bound, then you'll want to cut away some of the roots circling the pot. This will stress a plant in full leaf. So then it would be good to do this now before it gets all its leaves.

If it does not need root pruning and you are just going to stick it in the ground, stress will be much less. In that case, maybe it's safer to wait until all risk of frost/freeze is gone.

Could you try to pop it out of the pot a bit and see if it's root bound before you decide?

If you decide to put it in the ground now, one option you have would be to cover it with a tarp or something like that if you expect a freeze.

Either way, once it's in the ground, you'll probably have the same situation next year so you may want to go ahead and devise a setup to handle this weather. If you are in a cold microclimate, do you think your tree will survive the winter next year? Effectively you may be a zone or half zone colder than the surrounding area.

You may want to consider making an airlayer this summer and grow another one in a pot. This way you will have a backup if the one in the ground dies

Good luck
Rob

Argh, you mean I still have to decide myself?! ;) it is moderately rootbound, meaning the roots have mostly filled the soil and are starting to head around the inside, but the very bottom still has more media than root and no roots larger than,oh, a stem on a carnation can be spotted. My guess would be that it was root trimmed and repotted last year, maybe?

The thing about the freezes is that I have no way of predicting them. Whatever is happening is unique to this year, because I have had cabbage, broccoli, turnips, peas, and favas all take freeze damage and that's not happened to me before, nor has it happened in the memory of the old farmer who used to own this land. The last freeze on monday night happened and the local weather station 5 miles away registered a low of 41, 4 degrees above the predicted low. So should I run out every night until they are predicting above 50 and wrap my tree if I do plant it in the ground? I mean that as a serious query, not rhetorical or sarcastic. Thanks again!

I ordered a Black Mission Fig tree online and the one I received was tagged "petite negronne". This was a couple years ago and it is potted and I have lost the tags. I live inNy so I have not planted mine in the ground and I dont think Black Mission is known to be especially cold hardy...was raised in California by Monks originally. Your area might be in a frost pocket ...you should try to find a sunny south facing slope or a protected area against a wall when you do plant it and protect it in the winter...that's what I'd do.
Terry

I did some more research into "Negronne" and it is another name for Violet De Bordeaux (VDB). VDB grows well in pots since it is dwarf and bears two crops. I guess the place l bought mine from substituted the VDB for the dwarf Black Mission l had ordered. I would keep it in the pot until after the last frost date for your area. Good luck with your new tree!
Terry