Selected type of project: Red cherry tomato (commonly found in Malaysian grocery stores), akin to local varieties like 'Cherry Sweet.' Reason for selection: I can purchase a punnet of cherry tomatoes at an affordable price and collect the seeds, which suits my budget. Cherry tomatoes are resilient to both heat and rain, thriving in Singapore’s climate, making them ideal for nearly year-round cultivation

Planting Steps taken: a. Saving seeds from grocery cherry tomatoes

Buy one small punnet of red cherry tomatoes from a local supermarket (origin usually Malaysia). coldstorage.com.sg
Choose the ripest, sweetest fruits.
Cut each tomato and scoop out seeds + gel into a cup.
Add a little water and let it stand for 1–3 days to ferment lightly (this helps remove the gel and some diseases).
Rinse the seeds in a fine strainer and spread them on labelled paper towel to dry.
Once dry, store them in a small paper envelope until sowing.

b. Sowing and growing (container on balcony)

Containers:
- 2 × 15–20 L pails / pots with drainage holes.
Soil mix:
- 60% bagged vegetable potting mix
- 30% compost
- 10% perlite/rice husk or similar for drainage
Sowing:
1. Start seeds in a seed tray or small cups with drainage.
2. Sow seeds 0.5 cm deep, keep soil moist but not waterlogged.
3. Place in bright, indirect light until they germinate (5–10 days).
Transplanting:
1. When seedlings have 2–3 true leaves, transplant 1 plant per big pot.
2. Bury stem a bit deeper to encourage strong roots.
3. Add a simple bamboo stake or string support.
Care:
- Sun: 4–6+ hours of direct sun daily if possible
- Water: Keep soil consistently moist; avoid letting it dry out completely in the midday heat.
- Fertilizer: Every 2 weeks, use a balanced or tomato fertiliser at half-strength.
- Maintenance: Remove yellow leaves, tie stems to the stake, and check for pests.
Timeline:
- Germination: 5–10 days
- Transplant: around week 3–4
- First flowers: around week 5–7
- First harvest: roughly 9–11 weeks after sowing, then continuously for several weeks

Mary ann Bayron

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