James, did you see this expensive fig tree before you bought it?

Vern

So how much was it???

Vern,

I saw it. I picked it out. Its funny to me that I bought a tree with this much damage. Especially for a variety that is readily available via mail order or by trading cuttings. Normally, if I even see a spot on the leaf, I would be trying to negotiate the price down. I didn't say a thing when the guy rang me up. I just handed him my credit card.

I didn't feel the actual price was so important. Mostly, I just wanted to laugh at myself and also point out, again, how prices can differ from region to region.

~james

Don't keep us in suspense!

How much is a fig tree in NJ?

You can buy them for $15 at Lowes in spring here in Virginia - but they only have BT.

Sorry Juniormint:I would like to note to you that for 15 dollars you get a (want to be Brown turkey),and not the real thing.
I bought figs from all major chain store and none was a true varietY.
All of them were wortless hybrids,and i ended up discarding them and losing a lot of money at the end.
But i will not buy such an old expensive tree ,on the other hand.
One is best advice to buy only from reputable nurseries,or known fig collector ,but to buy very young healthy tree wich are affordable and true to name.Just my 2 cents.

looks like it has pretty much healed itself. I would just top after it goes dormant and let it spread out next spring. It's too small to worry about it's shape now. It will even itself out in a couple of years and turn into a mighty tree. FF

I agree with Herman. Actually, I'll take it a step further. If you don't care what variety you get, and you don't care if it is a good producer, and you don't care if it has good flavored figs, you can buy fig trees anywhere. Even the "reputable" nurseries are at the mercy of their suppliers. Then again, the suppliers are at the mercy of their suppliers.

I once called a supplier to many of the nurseries in my area (the also supplied Home Depot and Walmart) because one of the trees I bought wasn't the variety it was labeled. The person who ran the operation told me he gets bundles of cuttings. He assumes they are labeled correctly and the bundles are homogeneous.

If you have some expectations about the quality of your figs and/or fig trees, buy from a nursery that is heavily rooted (yes, I like puns) in figs, or trade cuttings with someone on the forum.

However, if you want to buy a Lowes BT (and/or Kadota in some markets), negotiate with them. Any complaint about a problem with the tree and the lady who runs the Lowes by my house, drops the price to 3 bucks.

Like I said before. I knew what I was getting before I plunked down the 50 bucks for this tree. I had a plan for it. The top will be air-layered off next year, and taken to Houston. The rest will grow in bush form in NJ.

~james

James, that is not too bad a price. You will end up with two fig trees. That is only $25.00 tree.

I have been watching the prices of fig trees on eBay. The man who has the Zumwalt fig tree is making a killing on it. There is one on there now that someone bid $49.99 not including shipping. Your $50.00 tree seems like a bargain to me.

Vern

Hmmm...a fake BT? That is depressing, especially since BT does not seem to be highly regarded on this forum. The tree in question was planted last year and produced a few small figs it's first season. This year it was damaged by a late frost and voles and does not have a single fig. Maybe if it fruits next year I will post pictures for identification.
The rest of my figs are from Paradise Nursery and Petals from the past. Nothing is producing except a first year potted VdB which is growing like gangbusters. Hopefully I will have better luck next year. Maybe I will have my mother in law send me cuttings from Lebanon - the figs there were large and juicy and sweet. Best fresh figs I ever tasted.

ONE gallon plants at Belleclare were $50, $60, $70 and more.

Well Juniormint:Brown Turkey is not regarded well on this forum because most of us have (Want to be Brown Turkey)instead of the corect and only true English Brown Turkey fig,that is well regarded in Europe(See (flax)fig.)

Herman: Well perhaps I will rename my fig since it is not likely to be a real 'Brown Turkey'. I'm thinking that a fancy French name would sound good - maybe 'Faux Dinde Brune' or something like that would be appropriate.
Then it would fit right in with the 'Madeline de deux seasons', 'Violette de Bordeaux' and 'Petite Negri' trees.

Maybe it would make the figs taste better too. The name 'Brown Turkey' has never sounded too appetizing to me.

1 gallon fig trees in Houston run 5-15 bucks.

I have a BT in the ground that is doing nicely for the past 5 years or so. At least it was labelled as a BT and I got it from a local large nursery. With all this talk that the commonly found BT may not really be a BT, how does one tell what a BT should look like? Can anyone direct me to an online reference?

Jim:See The post"Please identify this fig"By "Flax".
That is the English brn Turkey,the one and only.It got tons of picture.
If your fig does not look like that,then it is one of the Hundreds ofso called brown turkey,Seadling Hybrids,or another name for it is "Impostor".

5 black madeira cuttings just budding

23 Turkish browns

15 back mission France