Cris
Springs Fastest 20 Vegetables
Are you impatient? Do you want to sow your seeds and start to see instant results? I know I am! If you need instant gardening results, this is the post for you!
What does fast growing actually mean? It means how long between that first sprout and when you can harvest your first bite. It really is that first bite that gives you satisfaction. Later it is the continued harvest that keeps you going.
How do you get started? First you figure out what will feed you the fastest, then you get your seeds planted. Try to choose those varieties that have the shortest time to harvest. This information is typically stated on the seed package or in the catalog description. The average is 45 to 60 days, so be ready to eat in about 2 months.
Why Choose Fast Vegetables?
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Well, you pick the ones that mature the fastest for the satisfaction of course. Those of us that are impatient really need those fast results. I like to do a mix of indoor and outdoor gardening just to keep the satisfaction of food production always there. Try container gardening for this.
Typically, you can find plant varieties that have been selectively bred to grow fast. These are not always GMO products, but rather, like much of the food we have, selectively bred. Someone somewhere got a plant that produced fruit fast and kept growing those seeds to produce a plant strain that matures quickly.
How to Get Them Started
Many plants do require an indoor start where it is warm to get a good start. This alone gives a boost in the time it takes to maturity. Plants grow faster in warm environments and mature much more slowly in the cold. You might try a heat lamp or a growing mat to give a good boost while sprouting.
Make sure you know when your last frost will be, or at least about when. This will let you know when you can start your seeds. It’s never fun to start plants and have late frost that kills your entire garden. I’ve done this with a fluke snow in June, and the garden did not recover that year.
If you are fortunate enough to have a greenhouse, take advantage of the extended growing time. You can start early and maintain year-round for many plants.
20 Fast Vegetables
1) Radishes
Time to harvest: 25 Days
This tasty treasure grows fast and is great just as a sprout too. The seeds will germinate in about 5-10 days and the root will be ready to harvest in as few as 20 days.
Grow these in full sun for best results. Sow as soon as the soil is workable, or indoors in a pot for a year round supply. Constant sowing makes for constant supply on this one.
2) Salad Greens
Time to harvest: 21 Days
We are talking arugula, mizuna, mesclun mix, and leaf lettuces here. These guys sprout fast and can be harvested when small. They will grow nicely in an aquaponic system too. Most varieties will be ready in 3 weeks or up to 60 days.
Skip the grocery store and grow your own spring mix in a windowsill. Plant new seeds every two weeks for a continuous harvest. Simple use some sharp scissors to cut away outer leaves to enjoy a great fresh salad almost every day.
3) Carrots
Time to harvest: 50 Days
Carrots are a staple food both in the garden and in the kitchen. You can’t go wrong with these awesome healthy little roots. Enjoyed raw as a snack, or in salads, paired with a good hearty pot roast, or added to soups for a great kick in vitamins.
Sow these seeds inside or wait until after heavy frost danger has passed. They will take about 30 days to get baby carrots, or about 60 for full sized treasures. You can sow every two weeks to have a constant supply of fresh carrots from your garden. Just pull the root up and wash them to enjoy this fast vegetable.
4) Spinach
Time to harvest: 30 Days
Spinach is great in salads, sauteed, steamed, in soups, on sandwiches in omelets or just about any way you want to eat it. It grows rather fast, so you can continuously plant and harvest it all season long. Be ready to keep up the harvest as they will bolt in hot weather making the leaves bitter.
Sow the seeds right into the ground as soon as the soil can be turned. Thin plants to about an 8-inch spacing in light shade. Baby greens will be ready to snip and enjoy in about 30 days.
5) Mustard Greens
Time to harvest: 30 Days
These spicy leaves are colorful and ready for harvest in as little as 30 days when they are young and tender. You can let them go for 40 -60 if you like. These seeds germinate quickly, so you can plan on a rotating harvest for these greens all season long.
Sow seeds after the last frost, you will see baby sprouts really fast. These like the sun and can be put in salads, sauteed, or tossed into soups to brighten things up.
6) Bok Choy
Time to harvest: 60 Days
This is a staple in many Asian food dishes, and I love it! It grows upright like celery rather than like the cabbage that it is. Bok choy has a mild flavor that adds to soups or stir-fry dishes. IT is great cut in half and grilled with sole sesame oil and garlic.
Sow seeds directly into soil after last frost and continuously every two weeks for a constant supply. It takes about 10 to 14 days to germinate, and young plants will be ready to harvest in as little as 30 days. You can let them mature for a full 60 days for larger leaves, but I am inpatient, and really like the smaller ones. To harvest, cut the base of the plant at the soil level, wash and enjoy.
7) Turnips
Time to harvest: 30-35 Days
Turnips are grown for both the greens and the roots. You can boil em’, mash em’, put them in a stew. Roasted or steamed they are good too. Greens are used in salads or sauteed with a light oil and some garlic. Tasty and healthy!
Sow seeds straight into workable soil early in spring. Make sure they get full sun for faster growth. Snip greens as they grow but leave enough greenery so the plant can nourish that root. Pull the root when it is about 2-3 inches in diameter and enjoy.
8) Bush Beans
Time to harvest: 50-60 Days
Bush beans are great, and there are several varieties to choose from. You can sow right after a harvest to have a continuous crop growing. Once started, they need little care to keep growing which is a huge bonus for a busy lifestyle.
Continuously pick the pods as they reach 4-5 inches in length to keep the plant producing. I find that with any pod vegetable, once they get some mature seeds on pods you miss, they will stop producing new pods entirely. Enjoy them sauteed with garlic and a splash of sesame oil and some sesame seeds sprinkled on top.
9) Squash
Time to harvest: 60 Days
Specifically, summer squashes such as yellow crookneck or zucchini. These are known to do well in containers or in the ground. Young tender squashes can be harvested when 6-8 inches long, or you can let them get big enough to barbecue. I loved picking these and eating them with some cottage cheese, man did that make my mom mad!
Sow seeds indoors a couple of weeks before the last frost and transplant to your beds when there is no more chance of frost. These can grow large and will hide their fruits from you. Don’t be surprised if you go look one day and find a massive zucchini hiding under some leaves. These are easy to sprout and easy to grow for a tasty harvest.
10) Tatsoi
Time to harvest: 25 Days
I like to use this one as a substitute for spinach when I run out of those green leaves. It grows similar to Bok choy but is more open and rounded. Tasting a bit like mustard, it goes well in salads and soups.
Sow seeds directly into workable soil in early spring. They will germinate in about three weeks, and you can start taking those outer leaves almost immediately if you wish. The full-sized plant will be ready to cut off at the soil level in about 50 days.
11) Broccoli
Time to harvest: 60+ Days
These can push the limits on fast vegetables that for sure. Some varieties will be ready for harvest sooner than others, and they all do well in colder weather so you can start them sooner than other veggies. Smaller heads can be snipped off before the 60-day mark.
Sow seeds directly into soil and wait for the awesome green florets to form. Make sure they get plenty of sun and water during this time. Enjoy this healthy anti-cancer food as an addition to soups or steamed as a side for any meal.
12) Cucumbers
Time to harvest: 55-60 Days
Cucumbers are great and come a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. Most like to climb and do great on trellises. They seem to irritate my impatience some as they are getting going. Once the plants have a good establishment, the fruits come quick though.
Sow seeds indoors about 4 weeks before the last frost, then transfer to a trellis in a sunny place. Watch out for squash bugs that love the tender little leaves and will stunt your cucumber supply. My personal favorite is the lemon cucumber, but I’ve never gotten any in under 60 days.
13) Beets
Time to harvest: 30-60 Days
Sow seeds as soon as oil is workable. Harvest in 30 to 60 days. These will germinate slowly, about 10-20 days for most varieties. Grow them in full sun to partial shade. Use as a border crop around other plants to save space.
Beet greens can be cut when about 5 inches tall, leave some for root development though. Pull the root when it is about 2-3 inches in diameter. Use beets in juices, stews, pickled or roast them for a healthy addition to your meals.
14) Okra
Time to harvest: 50-55 Days
Second only to snow peas as my favorite garden tending snack, these alien pods are delicious! Definitely one of my favorite foods to eat raw, add to soups or coat in corn meal and fry as a side dish. It is a southern staple for gumbo too!
Sow this plant indoors about 3 weeks before the last frost, and transplant to a sunny location in the garden. Watch the plants grow tall and produce delicate yellow flowers and wait for those tasty pods. Unfortunately, I can only let mine get about an inch long before they get eaten, so I haven’t actually been able to get enough to pickle yet.
15) Snow Peas
Time to harvest: 30-60 Days
My favorite garden snack is the snow pea. I can’t go out to my garden without plucking a few to munch on as I tend the rest of the plants. These guys grow so fast and so easy, watch out for hidden pods that will automatically give you a second growth though! You can continually harvest these all season long to keep encouraging new pod growth. Also, able to plant a second set of plants and pull the first ones when they get too big.
They sprout fast and grow fast. The flowers are awesome at attracting bees and look great too. Plant in full sun to partial shade for best results. You won’t have to wait more than 7 days for germination, and you will have pods in about a month.
16) Collard Greens
Time to harvest: 30 Days
This member of the cabbage family is super easy to grow. It looks great in any garden too! Cook them up like you would any other leafy vegetable, sauteed, steamed, or toss into soups.
Sow seeds indoors about 6 weeks before the last frost, and transplant hardened seeds about two weeks prior to that frost date. They will take up to three weeks to germinate and will require full sun to grow at their best. You can harvest young leaves as early as 30 days after sprouting. Wait about 70 days for them to reach full size, but the smaller tender leaves are truly the best. Snip off baby leaves as they grow or take the full plant by cutting the stem at the soil surface once it is mature.
17) Kohlrabi
Time to harvest: 55 Days
This one grows like a ball above ground and can be enjoyed raw in salads or roasted like other vegetables. It tastes like a combination of cabbage and radish. Leaves can be enjoyed sauteed or in salads too.
Sow this one indoors at least eight weeks before the last frost or wait to sow outside until after the last heavy frost. It will take a week or two to germinate, so try to be patient. Harvest when the bulb is about 2-3 inched in diameter, or about 55 days after you sprouted them.
18) Scallions
Time to harvest: 30 Days
Green onions are a great snack, or garnish for almost every dish. They are grown for their green stalks and small bulbs. Great on baked potatoes, in soups, fresh on salads, just plain as a quick pick me up.
Sow these continuously for perpetual harvests. You can even save the root bits you remove prior to eating and resow them! You will have to wait until after the last frost to put outside or start them 10 weeks before the last frost indoors. Pluck these guys when they are about the size of a pencil. They will grow best in partial shade, and you will be enjoying them in as few as 30 days.
19) Swiss Chard
Time to harvest: 45 Days
Swiss chard is super healthy for you. It will sprout in about one to two weeks and be fully mature in about 45 days. Pluck the baby leaves when they reach about 3 inches in length or let them get nice and full. As with most other leafy greens, the baby leaves are the best!
Toss into salads, add to soups, saute with olive oil and garlic for a great healthy side dish. They taste like beet greens and can be used just like spinach or kale in most recipes.
20) Microgreens
Time to harvest: 7-14 Days
Microgreens are similar to sprouts, but you don’t eat the root, just the green parts. These are rising in popularity for their healthy addition to most sandwiches, salads, and wraps. You can get every flavor from spicy to mild and sweet to spice up nearly anything you are making.
To grow microgreens, you sow seeds from most salad lettuces, sunflowers, radishes, onions, carrots, beets, or herbs on a shallow tray of moist soil. In about 10 days or so when the sprouts are about 1-3 inches tall and have their first leaves developed, you cut them off and add to your meals.
Now Go Get Your Garden Started
Take a look at the weather and get some seeds started either indoors, or outside depending on what you are planting. I can hardly wait for my first harvest this year. It’s always exciting to get fresh produce from your own hard work. Home grown veggies taste better than anything you can get at the grocery store.