omotm
Registered:1349913471 Posts: 886
Posted 1392524194
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#1
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.
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__________________ Steve
Houston, TX
Zone 8b
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Zingarella
DallasFigs
Registered:1358877623 Posts: 990
Posted 1392528635
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#2
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...
__________________ James - Irving, TX - Zone: 8a Follow me on EBay Wish List: 187-25 · Ice Crystal · Maltese Beauty · Maltese Falcon
saxonfig
Registered:1258080612 Posts: 1,370
Posted 1392529965
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#3
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.
__________________Fig Well An d Prosper! Bill - SW KY. Zone 6b. 36.5N I'm fruitnut on ebay.
musillid
Registered:1327758167 Posts: 1,507
Posted 1392556474
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#4
Have to say I got a Hardy Chicago from a big box store and it appears to be as labeled.
__________________ Dale
non compost mentis in Zone 6a
BronxFigs
Registered:1333154764 Posts: 1,864
Posted 1392565797
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#5
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
__________________ Bronx, NYC Zone-7
Grasa
Registered:1347083219 Posts: 1,819
Posted 1392573393
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#6
Well, it can be a start of a collection or a root stock.
__________________ Grasa
Seattle, WA
saxonfig
Registered:1258080612 Posts: 1,370
Posted 1392579602
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#7
Very true Grasa.
__________________Fig Well An d Prosper! Bill - SW KY. Zone 6b. 36.5N I'm fruitnut on ebay.
jdsfrance
Registered:1376988473 Posts: 2,591
Posted 1392635504
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#8
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 :)
__________________ ------------------------
Climate from -25°C to + 35°C
Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here
Ampersand
Registered:1389979527 Posts: 728
Posted 1392641108
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#9
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.
DallasFigs
Registered:1358877623 Posts: 990
Posted 1392641494
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#10
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdsfrance I'll take you to the brown side of the force :)
eeww.
__________________ James - Irving, TX - Zone: 8a Follow me on EBay Wish List: 187-25 · Ice Crystal · Maltese Beauty · Maltese Falcon
bullet08
Registered:1284496248 Posts: 6,920
Posted 1392642875
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#11
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.
__________________ Pete Durham, NC Zone 7b "don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill "the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher ***** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. ***** ***** and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...*****
susieqz
Registered:1372082549 Posts: 971
Posted 1392649772
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#12
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.
__________________ susie wish list: nothing. i can't grow cuttings . right now, i have 6 trees showing no signs of fmv. i'd like to keep it that way' i was told that if i couldn't deal with fmv, i should grow peaches, so i got a peach tree to live with my clean figs.
needaclone
Registered:1346812939 Posts: 604
Posted 1392693645
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#13
March them over to my house. I'd rather have a fresh ripe BT fig than no fig at all ;-) Cheers, Jim
__________________ Clarksburg, NJ - Zone 6b Wishlist - A wise man recommended: Nero600M . Malta Black . Tacoma (Takoma) Violet . Gino's . Adriatic JH . Vista Mission . Florea . Atreano . ...also...RdB, Bethlehem Black, Negronne, Grise de St. Jean, Livano, Col de Dame Blanc/Gris/Noir, Vasilika Sika, Longue D'Aout, Italian 258, Pennsylvania 6-5000
donpaid
Registered:1388952715 Posts: 216
Posted 1392746719
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#14
Is BT the "Meg" of the fig world or something?
GeneDaniels
Registered:1384021772 Posts: 1,014
Posted 1392751470
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#15
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 :-)
__________________ Zone 7b (Central Arkansas) Seven trees in the ground : Hardy Chicago, Celeste(?), LSU gold, Italian Black, Southern Brown Turkey(?), Strawberry Verte, and Unk yellow. Trees in pots: VdB, CdD, and Sicilian?
DallasFigs
Registered:1358877623 Posts: 990
Posted 1392751793
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#16
I wouldn't mind an English BT. I've heard good things.
__________________ James - Irving, TX - Zone: 8a Follow me on EBay Wish List: 187-25 · Ice Crystal · Maltese Beauty · Maltese Falcon
susieqz
Registered:1372082549 Posts: 971
Posted 1392752078
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#17
there are zillions of EBTs in texas. they wouldn't be there if people didn't like them.
__________________ susie wish list: nothing. i can't grow cuttings . right now, i have 6 trees showing no signs of fmv. i'd like to keep it that way' i was told that if i couldn't deal with fmv, i should grow peaches, so i got a peach tree to live with my clean figs.
bullet08
Registered:1284496248 Posts: 6,920
Posted 1392752448
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#18
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.
__________________ Pete Durham, NC Zone 7b "don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill "the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher ***** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. ***** ***** and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...*****
Gina
Registered:1330452963 Posts: 2,260
Posted 1392754796
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#19
Alfred Hitchcock was right. They are coming....
__________________ WillsC's new fig forum: http://www.Ourfigs.com (and blueberries)
donpaid
Registered:1388952715 Posts: 216
Posted 1392761698
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#20
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.
rafed
Registered:1252876934 Posts: 5,308
Posted 1392766002
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#21
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.
DesertDance
Registered:1247674606 Posts: 4,518
Posted 1392767244
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#22
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
__________________ Zone 9b, Southern California. "First year they sleep, Second year they creep, Third year they leap!" Wish List: I wish all of you happy fig collecting! My wishes have been fulfilled!
omotm
Registered:1349913471 Posts: 886
Posted 1392773457
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#23
Very clever Gina, took me a few minutes to catch on.......brown turkey (the bird) vs brown turkey (the fig).
__________________ Steve
Houston, TX
Zone 8b
Wish List:
Zingarella