I'm looking for opinions on great figs that would have the following characteristics:

1.  Does well in coastal Southern California.  Needs to be able to produce quality fruit without rotting in a very moist (95%+ relative humidity most summer mornings), relatively cool (summer highs are high 60's to mid 70's usually) environment.

2.  Can be maintained in a 15-25 gallon container without a huge amount of effort.  (A naturally small variety would be great.)

3.  Tastes great.

4.  Not essential, but it might be fun if the ripe fruit were green.  (I understand there are some on the forum who say 3 and 4 and incompatible.)

I already have Brown Turkey (inherited from previous owner of my house) and VdB.  The BT is very productive and produces big fruit, that to me, frankly are pretty boring.  Very sweet and slightly figgy in flavor.  Something with more exciting flavor would be ideal.  The BT figs also tend to rot before getting ripe, due to the humidity, I assume.  

I bought the VdB in February in a liner.  It tried to produce fruit twice this year, but the first time it failed because I had under potted it and under watered it.  (I had no idea figs could fill a 5 gallon container with roots in just a few months.)  The second time it was just too late in the season and the fruits didn't have enough time to mature.  

The mockingbirds love the BT figs and get most of them before they are ripe unless I protect them with paper (thanks for that tip Jon).  If a green fig was even a little less susceptible to mockingbirds, that would be nice.  

A gopher is currently devouring the roots of the BT, so I may need to replace it.  We'll see.  I can't get at the sucker because his tunnels are all under plants I don't want to dig up (fig, bananas, citrus) or under the driveway or sidewalk.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Mark

sound like you need to go visit jon and take his expert advice, as he is just around your corner

best of luck, eli

if i ever get out there again no doubt that will be on my to do list....

in any event - he is your answer and i am sure he will comment on this thread as well in no time....