Crop type: Courgettes
Cucurbita pepo ‘Defender’
Common name: Courgette ‘Defender’
Crop slug: courgettes
This Allotment Pro editorial draft summarises the cited RHS cultivar profile. Check the source and adjust cultivation decisions for local conditions.RHS cultivar profile
1 - Overview
‘Defender’ is a popular and reliable courgette valued for exceptional productivity and strong resistance to cucumber mosaic virus. The RHS describes it as high yielding, capable of producing almost twice as many fruits as some other varieties. Its heavy crop consists of solid mid-green courgettes, held on a plant with an open habit that makes regular picking easier.
The plant also carries attractive yellow summer flowers. These flowers are edible, while their pollen and nectar give the cultivar value in a wildlife-friendly productive garden. The RHS profile displays both the Award of Garden Merit and Plants for Pollinators status.
2 - Size
- Ultimate height
- 0.1–0.5 metre
- Ultimate spread
- 0.5–1 metre
- Time to ultimate size
- 1 year
Although low-growing, ‘Defender’ forms a broad clump and needs enough room for its leaves to remain open and healthy. Its spread can be greater than its height, so avoid crowding it between neighbouring crops.
3 - Growing conditions
- Suitable soils
- Loam and sand
- Moisture
- Well-drained or moist but well-drained
- Soil pH
- Acid or neutral
Plant into rich, fertile soil that drains freely while retaining dependable moisture through summer. Incorporating well-rotted organic matter before planting helps support the cultivar’s rapid growth and unusually heavy fruit production.
4 - Position and hardiness
- Light
- Full sun
- Aspect
- South- or west-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- Hardiness
- H2 — tolerant of cool conditions around 1–5°C but unable to survive freezing
Treat ‘Defender’ as a tender annual. Choose a warm, sunny, sheltered position and do not transplant it outside until frost danger has passed. Cold, exposed ground will slow establishment and can damage young plants.
5 - Colour and seasonal interest
Green foliage develops in spring and remains the principal foliage colour through summer and autumn. Bright yellow flowers appear in summer, followed by numerous solid mid-green fruits. The open growth habit helps reveal the courgettes beneath the leaves, allowing them to be harvested before they become oversized.
6 - Botanical details
- Family
- Cucurbitaceae
- Native to Great Britain and Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump-forming with an open structure
- Name status
- Accepted
Genus
Cucurbita is a small genus of climbing or trailing annual herbaceous fruiting plants native to Central and South America. Cultivated edible species commonly have palmately lobed, prickly-haired leaves and solitary golden-yellow, star-shaped flowers.
Safety
If any fruit tastes bitter, do not eat it or feed it to pets. Wear gloves and suitable protection when handling the plant if its coarse or prickly foliage irritates the skin.
7 - How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in rich, fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. Sow indoors from mid- to late April, placing each seed on its side about 1.5cm deep in an individual pot. Harden the young plants off carefully before June, then transplant them outside after the risk of frost has passed.
Water consistently at the root during dry weather and avoid wetting the foliage unnecessarily. Feed where soil fertility is limited. Check the open clump frequently and harvest fruits while they are young and tender; regular picking encourages the plant to continue its exceptionally productive cropping cycle.
Propagation
Propagate by seed.
Suggested locations
- Patio and container plants
- Wildlife gardens
- Sunny vegetable beds
Pruning
No pruning is required. Regular harvesting extends the productive season. Remove only leaves that are badly damaged or diseased, using clean tools and preserving the plant’s open centre.
Pests
May be susceptible to slugs and snails, especially during establishment and where fruits rest close to damp soil.
Diseases
May be susceptible to grey mould and powdery mildew. Provide adequate spacing and airflow, water at soil level and clear decaying material promptly. ‘Defender’ has excellent resistance to cucumber mosaic virus, a particularly useful distinguishing characteristic of this cultivar.