Went to a local nursery today and saw this horrific sight.  An army of Brown Turkey ready to wage war on the boutique figs.  All are brown turkey except the last 2 rows were LSU Purple.

I stopped in a small local nursery the other day. They had a couple 3gal trees labeled "Itailian Black" for 35 each. They each had about 20 limbs coming out of the pot. I'm sure they were the same ones I saw there a year ago!

On my way out, the owner told me that the Brown Turkeys are coming next week, if that's what I was looking for.

I ran out screaming...

Yea Steve, but are they really all BT? Same token for LSU Purple. Of course they are what they say they are - because that's what everyone is looking for. No way of knowing for sure until you see the fruit.

Am I saying that a nursery would sell us a fig tree but not really know the true variety? And they would label it something just because that's what most people come in asking for - just to make a buck?? Nooo, they would never do that? (please infer sarcastic humor :) )

Granted, the trees labeled BT, I picked up at Tractor Supply a couple seasons ago, do seem to be BT. But still ya never really know what you're going to get from any large nursery or big box store.

Never hurts to buy a couple though because you could end up with some great variety because the grower bought a bulk of cuttings from someone who said they were BT. 
 

Have to say I got  a Hardy Chicago from a big box store and it appears to be as labeled.

When I was far younger, many years ago, I used to go to all the local nurseries and garden centers, searching for the exotic, and, for some bargains.  After doing this for years, I gave up.  Same crappy selections year after year.  Fast forward 40 years.....same crappy selections, same crappy varieties...nothing new, just higher prices.

In the NYC area:  "Brown Turkey"...."Celeste"..."Peter's Honey"...."Kadota"...."Petite Negri/Negronne"....maybe, "Black Mission"-(all "BM" badly diseased with FMV)... slim pickins' for a fig hunter.

Now, I send away for what I want. 


Frank

Well, it can be a start of a collection or a root stock.

Very true Grasa.

Hi Omotm, Hi DallasFigs,
I might have some BT figs this year - at least I hope for.
Be sure I'll be posting lots of photos of both brebas and maincrop ... Just for you guys ...
I'll take you to the brown side of the force :)

Why all the hate?

If someone likes it and it get's them into figs without jumping through hoops of tracking down more obscure varieties that they have to root themselves, I say good for BT.

some day, i'm going to get a BT just to see if it will produce figs as bad as ones i have tasted from the supermarket. 

the big problem is that they don't know what kind of brown turkey they have.

yeah, no one likes california improved, but many enjoy english bt. the other 2 

varieties are somewhere in the middle.
i tried to root ebt just to see, but failed.

March them over to my house.
I'd rather have a fresh ripe BT fig than no fig at all ;-)
Cheers,
Jim

Is BT the "Meg" of the fig world or something? 

I don't know why everyone diss-es the BT. Here in Arkansas they are common and taste OK. Maybe they like our weather? They are nothing compared to my Hardy Chicago, but I can still eat almost a bucketfull when they are dead ripe!

Some fresh figs are legendary,
Some fresh figs are delightful,
Some fresh figs are just good,
But, all fresh figs are better than dried ones from the supermarket :-)

I wouldn't mind an English BT.  I've heard good things.

there are zillions of EBTs in  texas. they wouldn't be there if people didn't like them.

just don't have room for OK figs. some even don't care to keep light colored figs :) when time and space are limited, getting exceptional tasting figs is a must. 

Alfred Hitchcock was right. They are coming....

 

GeneDaniels hit the nail on the head. I personally like BTs. They aren't the best, no doubt, but I literally don't have it in my soul to turn down a fresh fig of any variety.

My laradek BT will hang with any premium figs out there.
Don't know about the other BT's but this one is superb, I like it.

Could someone give a taste description of Brown Turkey?  Like a wine connoisseur would do?  Honey, nutty crunch, with overtones of this or that, and under notes of this or that...  Somebody needs to step up with a flavor profile.  Sales speak!!

Suzi

Very clever Gina, took me a few minutes to catch on.......brown turkey (the bird) vs brown turkey (the fig).