Breba figs arise from dormant buds that form late in the previous growing season. They overwinter if your winters are not too severe, then start to "pop" just as the terminal leaf buds start to break dormancy, or perhaps, just before those foliage buds start to grow. Many of these brebas will drop off, especially if the terminal leaf bud is present. It has seemed to me that the brebas are more likely to grow if the terminal bud has been removed, but I have not thoroughly tested this theory. I suspect that auxins (plant growth hormones) sometimes inhibit the growth of brebas, at least in some varieties. In most years my Celeste loses ALL of its brebas. Desert King is good for holding on to its brebas. That is real good because the next or main crop will likely not ripen without pollination since it is a "San Pedro" cultivar.

OK thanks, that clears it up for me. My tree does indeed have breabs then, and I believe Brown Turkey is known for fairly reliable and decent breba crops.

Well Wild Forajer:You got it wrong about BT,reliabelly keeping Breba.
Most of the Common figs,Except San Pedro,Type,will drop Breba crop,if it is not polinated.
At UCDAVIS Chart Study,you will notice that all the figs that are Prollific in Breba,are polinated in order to keep that breba!!!.There are a couple of exceptions to this rule,as:Violette de Bordeaux,and Gene Paradiso,but not BT.
Hope this will help you.

On the other hand there are a lot of Brown Turkey Cultivars,and some might keep their breba without polination.
The UCDAVIS study,refer to DFIC 17 Brown Turkey wich is what they have.
It is a Large fruited,Purple brown fig with red interior.
Hope this will help

Ok, well I was sure that I bought this fig on the premise that it was a two crop fig, so I went to Gurney's website and checked the they have since added a description and say it's sometimes called 'Italian Honey Fig' which I googled and found out is actually Marseilles! When I called them last year they told me it was a BT, so I believed them. Ach! I even told someone else on this forum that the Gurney fig was a BT. I should find that post and tell that person otherwise.

I do Have a Marseilles,aka Italian Honey with Amber Interior,and That one does Keep the breba very well,But is not very prolific in both harvest.
If you got the Marseilles you got a very good fig.
Enjoy.

Herman, I was fascinated to read in your response that most common figs will drop their brebas if not pollinated. It would seem that many figs are the opposite of San Pedro types! I NEVER knew that. I assumed that it was a terminal shoot issue with hormones being produced from the terminal shoot causing the brebas to drop, since I have often seen brebas persist where the end of the branch had been removed. My BT (At least, that is what I THINK it is), produces a very light breba which ripens just before the main crop comes in. Does Sal's Fig ripen brebas without pollination? I have one which I believe originated with you.

Herman, I stand corrected in that my Sal's originated with Gene from D.C., not you. Well, perhaps you know about this fig's fruiting habits anyway. Meanwhile, I am experimenting with my terminal bud theory, namely, that it is a matter of the terminal bud terminating the brebas! Stay tuned fig lovers, for the outcome of this semi scientific experiment.

That seem to be the case with common fig.
Especially the ones that have a very consistent main crop.
They act oposite to San Pedro Type.
But as with the fig Family there allwayes are exceptions to every rule,common figs that will keep the breba just fine.
Antonio in North Jersey have a fig (could be English B T .),That has a very good looking breba,that get ripe just fine ,but is not as Abundent,or as Tasty as Main crop.
One thing is for sure.
In most climates,in the USA,except California San Joachim Valley,common figs do not have time to ripe both crops,so People should just let the fig keep one crop,wichever is higher quality,and remove the other when figs are small.
This is MHO.

Palmfun:I forgoten to answer your question about Sal"S (Gene Origine).
For the 4 years i had it,i never had any breba to be staying on till ripe on Sal's.
BR.