Defiant

[Starlight]

Does anybody happen to know is Defiant PhR the same as the just Defiant some of the sites are selling and has anybody happened to use it for rootstock and had good or bad results? Wondering if it might be better than Big Beef F1 before I order some.

[FredB]

They are both the same thing. PhR stands for Phytophthora resistant (i.e., late blight). In your area, I think you would be best off using a specialty rootstock with resistance to nematodes and all 3 races of fusarium. One possibility would be Estamino, sold by Johnny's. It's pricey, but it would be totally worth it if you get an extra month or two of production.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by FredB

They are both the same thing. PhR stands for Phytophthora resistant (i.e., late blight). In your area, I think you would be best off using a specialty rootstock with resistance to nematodes and all 3 races of fusarium. One possibility would be Estamino, sold by Johnny's. It's pricey, but it would be totally worth it if you get an extra month or two of production.

Thanks Fred! I didn't order any of the Defiant seeds, since I didn't have an answer. I've seen Estamino. Maybe I'll give it a try. Need to see if there a good thread here on TV with step by step instructions on grafting. I have a feeling grafting tomatoes is going to be a bit harder and more touchy than fruit trees.