Growing your own fruits and vegetables is a rewarding and fulfilling experience. While some crops require patience and time to mature, there are plenty of quick-growing options that provide a bountiful harvest in a short period. In this blog post, we'll introduce you to a variety of quick-growing fruits and vegetables that will have you enjoying the taste of homegrown produce in no time. From leafy greens and herbs to compact fruits and root vegetables, let's explore these fast-growing options for a delicious and nutritious garden.
Leafy Greens: Leafy greens are among the fastest-growing vegetables, offering a relatively quick turnaround from planting to harvest. Varieties like lettuce, spinach, and arugula can be ready for harvest within a few weeks, allowing you to enjoy fresh salads in no time. Choose loose-leaf lettuce varieties for continuous harvesting, or opt for baby greens for a quick and tender crop.
Herbs: Fresh herbs add flavor and aroma to your culinary creations, and many herbs are known for their rapid growth. Basil, cilantro, dill, and parsley are examples of herbs that can grow quickly from seed or seedlings. Harvest the leaves as needed for a continuous supply of aromatic herbs to enhance your dishes.
Radishes: Radishes are excellent choices for quick-growing root vegetables. With some varieties ready to harvest in as little as three weeks, radishes offer a speedy and satisfying gardening experience. Their crisp and spicy roots make a delightful addition to salads, sandwiches, or pickled snacks.
Green Onions (Scallions): Green onions, or scallions, are versatile and fast-growing vegetables. Plant them from sets or seedlings, and within a few weeks, you'll be able to enjoy their flavorful green tops and tender white bulbs. Harvest the green leaves as needed, and allow the bulbs to continue growing for future use.
Baby Carrots: If you crave homegrown carrots but don't want to wait for the longer maturation period of traditional varieties, consider growing baby carrots. These smaller-sized carrots reach maturity faster and offer a sweet and crunchy snack. Choose varieties specifically bred for their quick growth to enjoy a fresh carrot harvest within a few weeks.
Microgreens: Microgreens are young, tender seedlings of various vegetables and herbs. They are harvested at an early stage, usually within one to three weeks after planting. Microgreens pack a nutritional punch and add vibrant colors and delicate flavors to salads, sandwiches, and other dishes. Popular microgreen varieties include kale, broccoli, radish, and mustard greens.
Strawberries: While strawberries may not be the fastest-growing fruit, certain varieties, such as everbearing or day-neutral types, offer a quicker turnaround from planting to fruiting. These compact plants produce multiple harvests throughout the growing season, allowing you to enjoy juicy and flavorful strawberries sooner.
Bush Beans: Bush beans are a great choice for quick-growing legumes. These compact plants produce an abundant crop of tender pods in just a few weeks. Harvest the beans when they are young and tender for the best flavor and texture. Beans can be enjoyed fresh, steamed, or added to a variety of dishes.
Waiting for a garden crop to produce its first edible reward can seem to take an eternity. If your aim is a quick harvest, consider growing these fruits and veggies. You'll have a bounty in no time flat!
Microgreens
Microgreens can go from seed to harvest within 2 to 4 weeks. Microgreens are young and nutritious vegetable and herb plants, packed with vitamins and flavor.
Popular microgreens include radish, chard, kale, endive, mizuna, basil, amaranth and cilantro but you can use anything that has edible leaves and stems.
They are best grown in shallow trays or containers, making them a great choice for people with limited space.
Sprouts
Sprouts, similar to microgreens, grow quickly in a sunny spot with a shallow container and plenty of moisture.
Beans, broccoli, alfalfa, lentils, and even almonds can be sprouted, and are packed with vitamins and minerals. They produce quickly, and can add punch to your salads and sandwiches.
Radish
Radishes are one of the fastest growing plants you can grow.
They go from seed to harvest in just 22 in most climates, though some varieties can take up to 50 days.
They are easy to grow, and add a kick of peppery flavor to your fresh salads and sides.
Green onions
Delicious green onion stalks can be harvested just 3 or 4 weeks after planting. After planting onions as bulbs, in around 6 months they will produce full-size onions.
Lettuce
Leaf lettuces such as Romaine or Cos can begin to be harvested in as little as 30 days after planting.
Pick lettuce leaves when the leaves reach at least 3 inches, rather than harvesting the entire head.
Other lettuce varieties mature in 45 to 60 days.
Carrots
Delicious, tender baby carrots can be harvested after about 30 days. Other carrot varieties take between 50 and 80 days to mature
Spinach
Spinach is easy to grow and requires little care aside from watering. It is versatile and is ready in as little as 4 to 6 weeks after planting.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are delicious fresh or prepared, in salads, on sandwiches, and pickled.
Cucumbers vine and run, so trellising with plenty of space to grow is the best way to raise them.
Baby cucumbers for pickling can be harvested as early as 50 days after planting. Well-cared for cucumber vines will produce again and again throughout the season.
Leafy Greens
Kale, mustard greens and watercress are super healthy greens that are fast growers. Most take about 50 to 65 days to mature, but baby leaves can be picked as early as 25 days.
Arugula can be grown annually in nearly all zones and can be harvested after 30 days.
Bok Choy grows well in moderate climates, and the individual leaves can be harvested after 21 days. The whole head is mature in 45 to 60 days after planting.
Peas
Snow peas take only about 10 days to germinate and are ready for harvest in about 60 days. Plant more than you think you will need, though-- they can be tricky!
Bush beans
Most varieties of bush beans are ready to harvest within 40 to 65 days from planting.
Summer Squash
Yellow summer squash can be ready in as few as 35 days from planting.
Many varieties of squash, including zucchini, are ready in 60 to 70 days.
For best flavor, harvest squash when they are still small. They will reproduce so quickly that you should have daily harvests all season long.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a hearty veggie, and can withstand a dip in temperatures better than most in the garden.
It is a good choice for very early season planting.
It can generally be harvested in 7 weeks time.
Ever-bearing strawberries
This variety of strawberries will fruit well in containers or hanging baskets. They produce several medium harvests over the course of the season, the first in roughly 50 days.
Strawberries will produce runners, which look nice when cascading down the side of a pot, but take energy away from the plant, reducing yield.
Snip runners with sharp hand pruners as they appear to encourage maximum fruit production.
Raspberries and blackberries
Cane fruits like raspberries and blackberries have a tendency to take over the garden with their aggressive growth.
New compact cultivars, like Raspberry Shortcake raspberries and Baby Cakes blackberries, have changed that.
They reach a maximum height of roughly 3 feet, and have thornless canes. They will produce in approximately 50 days.
Encouraging faster growth
To see results even faster, the controlled environment of a greenhouse can do wonders to your food production. Supplementing light, keeping weeds from stealing valuable nutrients, controlling pests, and having optimum conditions night and day helps plants to reach their full potential quicker.
If a greenhouse sounds right for your growing endeavors, our greenhouse experts are here to help. Call or email today for answers, advice, and experience to help you find the perfect greenhouse to suit your needs.