For the 1st time since I planted it, this will be its' 7th season in the ground, my Imp. Brown Turkey fig bush looks like it will not produce a breba crop! The 1st year in the ground it produced 7 brebas, my first taste of my own figs. The 2nd year about 50 and the past 4 springs about 100. This year, while it is fully leaved out and most branches have 3-5 inches of new growth, no brebas! I think the extra mild winter we had this year is the culprit. I only recorded 2 nights all winter that the temp went below 40 degrees, usually we get 2-4 very light frosts but not this year! Will just have to wait for the main crop in July.  Just wondering if any one else in the desert south west is experiencing the same thing?  sdpops

Yuma, AZ  zone 10
in the ground--IBT, kadota, conradia, panache, peters honey

Anyone have any historical information on the "Improved Brown Turkey"?  I have never heard of it and was wondering where it came from.  The Varietal Database doesn't show much.  What are the improvements?  Who made the improvements?  When were the improvements made?  Where did the improvement work take place?  What strains were used to develop the improvement (genealogy)?

Is this a similar scenario to the "Improved Celeste"?

Think it is California brown turkey which is so good. Not the same as what we have in the south

As Richie stated, IBT is also known as CBT. It was also known as Thompson's Improved Brown Turkey in the later 1800's. According to Condit it's the same as the old Spanish fig San Piero and breba production is stimulated by terminal bud pruning during dormancy. So maybe that's the key to brebas, give it a try if you haven't already.

" . . . fig bush looks like it will not produce a breba crop! . . . Just wondering if any one else in the desert south west is experiencing the same thing?"

I have the same situation in Coastal California. Our winter was like yours. Not a single frost. My Black Mission has been in the ground three years and gave me a small breba crop the last two springs. This year, I have healthy foliage and six inches of new growth, but no hint of breba breaking out.

My large Southern Brown Turkey tree has a lot of breba this Spring.The winter was mild with a low of 17F with minimal damage to the green tips of branches.