An easy urban farming guide

5 popular types of plants

Beyond the typical Monstera and Snake Plants, there are many fruits and vegetables that are perfect for Singapore’s climate. If you’re a budding plant enthusiast and you’re looking to grow your own fruiting vegetables, this guide is for you! After careful selection, we have identified 5 types of plants that you might want to consider cultivating; Cherry Tomatoes, Capsicum, Chilli, Long Bean and Cucumber!

1. Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes have a short harvesting season, growing from germination to the height of 30-70cm in 60-90 days. Be sure to water them everyday, and use a 3 to 5 gallon pot with drainage holes, to prevent stagnant water and ensure sufficient growing space.

When deciding on soil, use well-draining soil such as peat moss, pearlite or vermiculite for good aeration, with an acidity of pH level 6.2 to 6.5. As it is a vining plant, it is recommended to install a plant cage to encourage upwards growth, and avoid premature spoilage of fruits.

To ensure the best environment for your cherry tomato plant, place it in an area that will receive 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight every day, which can be both indoors and outdoors. For the maximum development of the tomato plant, keep it between the temperatures of 26°C and 29°C, and a relative humidity between 65% and 85%.

2. Capsicum

Capsicum, also known as bell peppers, are rich in antioxidants and a common ingredient in many cuisines. The best thing about capsicum? It is suitable to grow all year round in Singapore. With seeds that germinate after 7 days, harvest times of capsicum can vary from 60 days (green capsicum), 75 days (yellow capsicum) to 90 days (red capsicum). 

During germination, cover the seed in a damp paper towel and seal it into a ziplock bag. Once germinated, transfer it to a plastic bottle with drainage holes. A moderate watering schedule of 2-3 times/week is suitable for capsicum. When seedlings start to sprout, individual pots for each plant are recommended. After a month in the pot, installing cages will help them vine and thrive. Capsicum requires mineral soil pH and it is recommended to install a pole or cage. 

Regarding sun exposure, do not be deceived by its bright red colour! Capsicum is actually a shade/partial sun plant. Around 3 to 4 hours of morning sun would be enough for capsicum to grow. It turns bitter when growing in dry conditions so make sure your humidity is between 65% and 85%. During hot days (temperatures above 31°C), ice and mulch the top soil with cocopeat to keep the roots cool.

3. Chilli

The favourite spice for Asian families is one of the easiest fruit plants to grow! To germinate the chilli seeds, wet the seeds and sow them in soil at a depth of about 2 to 3 cm. The chilli seeds will germinate in about a week. Once germinated, the chilli plant will take 60 to 120 days to grow into the fruiting stage. Make sure to water your plant every alternate day, and deep the pot moist. Chilli plants usually require an airy soil which is well drained but moist. Add a little bit of compost to the soil and give it a good mix before sowing the chilli seed. 

Give your chilli plant enough room to grow by using a 5 to 7 gallon big pot, at least 30cm wide with drainage holes. Chilli plants require slightly acidic soil pH, and our best tip: Make sure that you’re always wearing gloves & avoid touching your eyes and face because it can be spicy. Chilli plants thrive in full sun so around 5-6 hours of direct sun each day would be optimal for its growth. Although they can grow in semi-shade, they will produce less fruits, so make sure you position your pot in a sunny area away from strong winds. During hot days (temperature above 31°C), ice and mulch the top soil with cocopeat to keep the roots cool because the hot weather can reduce fruiting.

When growing Cherry Tomatoes, Capsicum, Chilli or similar sweet fruiting vegetable plants, you can use RYNAN Fruitimate Colour. This is a controlled-release fertilizer formulated specially for sweet, colourful and juicy fruiting vegetable plants such as cherry tomato, capsicum and chilli. To see the best results, use one dose of 2.5 to 3 tsp every 3 months to give your plants optimal nutrition.

4. Chinese long bean

Chinese long beans, also known as legumes, grow on vines between 2 and 3 metres tall and they can reach a height of 30cm and 40cm. It takes daily attention to grow them for 2 to 3 months, but the final product is one of the most rewarding. Water your long bean plan 3-4 times a week, and keep your plant cool with an optimum temperature between 21 and 26°C. 

Long beans require neutral soil pH, and it is recommended to install a pole as it is a vining plant. It can thrive in both dry and humid environments, but our local heat and moisture are ideal. Make sure your long beans receive at least 6 hours of unobstructed sun per day - the more sun, the better. 

5. CucumberCucumbers, a fruit known for its high concentration of vitamins and nutrients, are surprisingly suitable to be grown in Singapore’s hot climate. The germination of cucumber seeds range from 7-10 days, and 55-70 days to grow from germination to harvesting stage. However, these stages are dependent on the weather and humidity conditions. 

Cucumber plants like to stay well-hydrated so if you choose to grow a cucumber plant, make sure to water everyday and keep the soil moist at all times. You can either use large containers of potting soil (one seed each pot) or growing bags, which is the best method for growing cucumbers. You can plant up to two cucumber plants per bag into bottomless pots placed on top of the growing bag. 

To give your plants the ideal stable conditions to grow in, put your cucumbers in at least 8 hours of direct sunlight each day, and humidity should be around 60% to 70% during the day and higher at night. Lastly, cucumbers demand acidic soil, and require supports for the plant such as bamboo cones, vertical wires, strong netting or trellis.

When growing Long Beans, Cucumbers or similar plants, you can use RYNAN Fruitimate Green. This is a controlled-release fertilizer formulated specially for green fruit plants such as long bean and cucumber. To see the best results, use one dose of 2.5-3 tsp every 3 months to give your plants optimal nutrition.