No. 039 · hybrid
Defiant PhR
Defiant PhR is a determinate hybrid slicer with red fruit. It ripens in about 65 days.
Flavor
Described in catalogs as having great flavor for a disease-resistant slicer, smooth and medium-firm with good texture. This is the recurring catalog and grower description, not a measured claim.
Origin
An F1 hybrid bred by Johnny's Selected Seeds in collaboration with North Carolina State University, traditionally bred to inherit the Ph-2 and Ph-3 major genes for late blight resistance.
What it does well
- High resistance to late blight plus intermediate resistance to early blight
- Early and high yielding on widely adaptable medium-sized plants
- Determinate habit needs little or no pruning or support
- Also carries high resistance to Fusarium wilt and Verticillium wilt
Where it frustrates
- An F1 hybrid, so seed cannot be saved true
- Bred for disease resistance and earliness, so flavor is good rather than exceptional
Growing it
- Determinate bush. It sets most of its crop in one concentrated flush, which suits batch cooking and canning, and needs only light support.
- Ripens early, under about 70 days, one of the safer picks where the summer is short.
- Generally forgiving and beginner-friendly to grow.
- One of our picks for the cold, short-season gardens of New England.
Disease resistance
Late blight resistance is high; early blight resistance is intermediate.
Why no hardiness zone?
Tomatoes are warm-season annuals, so variety choice comes down to days to maturity and your local frost dates.
Like Defiant PhR, but...
Sold out, or after a change? The closest alternatives, and how they differ.
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Where to buy seed
Related reading
Common questions
- Is Defiant PhR determinate or indeterminate?
- Defiant PhR is a determinate variety. Determinate bush. It sets most of its crop in one concentrated flush, which suits batch cooking and canning, and needs only light support.
- How long does Defiant PhR take to ripen?
- Defiant PhR ripens in about 65 days from transplant. Ripens early, under about 70 days, one of the safer picks where the summer is short.
- Is Defiant PhR an heirloom or a hybrid?
- Defiant PhR is a hybrid (F1), so seed saved from it will not come back true to the parent and is best bought fresh each year.
- What can I grow instead of Defiant PhR?
- A close swap is Celebrity, but without the late blight resistance.
Sources
- Defiant PhR Organic (F1) Tomato Seed · Johnny's Selected Seeds
- Organic Non-GMO Defiant PhR F1 Tomato · High Mowing Organic Seeds
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