I want to plant an olive for dappled shade on or near our sunny deck, and a fig nearby for the fruit and the birds they attract.
However a sewer runs close by (maybe 1.5mm below the surface, horizontal-drilled under the deck) and I worry what damage the olive and fig roots might do to that.
So I thought of containers.
Assuming I get an olive (pictual, verdale?) and a fig (which?) that will suit container planting, what are the requirements for such container set-ups?
Size of container. They'll eventually need to be fairly big. What's the procedure? Buy a small 1m high olive and fig plant and re-pot them into progressively bigger containers, or do I just put each young plant into a container big enough for the adult tree?
Drainage. The containers must drain quite freely - they'd need to be raised up from our clay-based soil. I'd best not sink them into the ground. Is that right?
Potting mix. What do you recommend to start with and what feeding do I do to replenish the mix?
Brian