What Vegetables Grow Locally in Singapore?
When it comes to cuisine, Singapore has a culture that is deep and varied. It is connected with the cuisine of various cultures, including those of China, India, Malaysia, and even certain Western nations. Because of its distinct culture and long and illustrious past, Singapore is justifiably proud of its cuisine. Because farms and wet markets in Singapore provide fresh and high-quality vegetables, Singaporeans can employ a wide variety of vegetables in their cooking, which helps to give each dish its distinctive flavor.
For Singapore to become a more sustainable nation in terms of its food supply, the government has been working toward meeting 30 percent of the republic's nutritional requirements via the locally grown and environmentally friendly production of food by the year 2030.
As a result, around 220 farms throughout the nation are responsible for producing 14% of the leafy greens that are eaten, and the production of crops such as kale is increasing. In addition to what was stated, the following is a list of locally cultivated vegetables in Singapore.
- Kale
In Singapore, the sun in the early morning or late afternoon is ideal for growing kale. This is because it is just too hot throughout the middle of the day and the early afternoon, and your kale won't be fit for consumption after these times. The texture of the leaves will be rough, and they will have a sour flavor. Even while kale tastes improve after being exposed to frost in lower locations, it may still be rather excellent when grown in its native environment. You must provide the ideal growth conditions for your plant to flourish and have a satisfying flavor.
- Kang Kong
Kang kong is a kind of tropical plant that does particularly well in the warm environment of Singapore. Because it is such a resilient plant, Kang kong is one of the simplest vegetables, even for novice gardeners, to start from seed and nurture into maturity. Because it is a semi-aquatic plant, Kang kong thrives on consistently damp soil.
- Lettuce
Growing lettuce in a climate that is warm is ideal. It is perfect for cultivating soils that are always wet but also have good drainage in Singapore. It cannot survive on soil with a pH lower than 6, which is considered acidic. The first harvest comes roughly two months after the seeds are planted.
- Kai Lan
It is a green vegetable that is picked after it has reached a height of around 30 centimeters. It has robust stems that are completely smooth and are colored light green. It does well on soil that is rich, slightly alkaline, well-drained, and neutral to alkaline in pH. After 21 to 55 days from the time the seeds were planted, the plant is available for its first harvest.
- Lady’s Finger
Okra thrives in hot and humid environments. The daytime temperature should be about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while the overnight temperature should be around 60 degrees. A growing lady's finger is at its peak during the warm summer. When cultivating a lady's finger, the soil must be able to drain adequately to be successful. In most cases, the plant will develop more quickly and remain healthy in soil that drains effectively.
- Brinjals
The brinjal is a plant that thrives in high temperatures and is native to regions with hot weather; as a result, it is an excellent candidate for growing locally in Singapore. From the time they are seeds until they produce flowers are between 40 and 90 days, and it may take another ten days for them to produce fruit.
- Cherry Tomatoes
Because of Singapore's tropical environment and high average annual temperatures, cherry tomatoes will thrive there. These plants do very well when grown in confined quarters. These tomato varieties' height may be between 30 and 70 centimeters, while their width can be between 40 and 70 centimeters.
- Peppers
Because it is a tropical plant, pepper cannot survive in cold temperatures. If the temperature falls below 12 degrees Celsius, it will not grow there. There must be a climate with a temperate winter. About 2,000 millimeters of rain must fall yearly on pepper plants.
- Eggplants
Eggplants are a crop that thrives during the warm seasons and cannot withstand temperatures below freezing. Eggplants cannot thrive in cold soil and need a minimum temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. When there is no longer a risk of frost, planting eggplant in your garden is best done in the late spring.
Sources:
- Do Singapore-grown veggie and eggs taste better than imported ones? | The Straits Times
- Can you grow kale in Singapore? - The Tender Gardener
- NParks | Lactuca sativa
- NParks | Brassica oleracea Alboglabra Group [kailan]
- https://www.urbanharvest.sg/products/kang-kong-vegetable-seeds
- How to grow Brinjals in Singapore ? - Home Farming Singapore (thehomeharvesters.com)
- Growing lady's finger in containers | Okra | Planting and Harvesting (diarytale.com)
- Growing Great Tomatoes (gardensbythebay.com.sg)
- Untitled1 (nda.agric.za)
- How to Grow Eggplant in Your Garden: 5 Eggplant Care Tips - 2022 - MasterClass