When you start an edible garden, it can seem overwhelming to wonder how long it will take for the many fruits and vegetables you’ll be planting to grow and eventually become edible. Watermelon, tomatoes, and chili peppers, for example, are well known for having relatively long growing times.
Therefore, I always advise new gardeners to start by planting lots of fast-growing vegetables that they can harvest and consume very quickly to have an important first motivation. Start growing these plants at the beginning of the growing season. Then, these vegetables will be harvestable within 8 weeks of planting! In fact, you sow a few seeds every two weeks to have a continuous harvest.
1) Arugula, a popular, fast-growing green vegetable
Arugula grows well in a small pot for quick and delicious consumption. This green vegetable has been growing in popularity for 20 years and for good reason. Arugula has a great slightly spicy flavor and is popular in salads or as an alternative to basil.
A true rocket of growth, arugula owes its name to the speed with which it grows. Sow the seeds directly into the ground and simply cut off the leaves when they are large enough. If you continue to grow it in the summer months, try growing it in a shadier location to prevent it from blooming too quickly.
2) Bok Choy or Chinese cabbage
Bok Choy is a popular Asian green vegetable, it grows quickly for a quick harvest.
There are several varieties of Asian vegetables, including bok choy, yu choy, and choy sum, which are probably the most common. Often the seeds are sold in an “Asian” mix and all can be planted directly into the ground in early spring or late summer for a fall garden. Pick the leaves individually or cut off whole plants, especially when growing in a clump as with bok choy.
3) Broccoli rabe or rapini for a quick broccoli flavor
Broccoli rave is a fast-growing green vegetable.
It is also called rabi broccoli or rapini, although it looks like broccoli, it actually looks more like turnips. The trick with broccoli rabe is to harvest the flower clusters as soon as they appear because they will open quickly to bloom. I recommend harvesting every other day. The young leaves are also edible and taste much better if harvested young.
4) Chinese cabbage, Peking cabbage or pe-tsai
Chinese cabbage is a popular green vegetable.
Chinese cabbage forms delicious heads that can be harvested in a matter of weeks. It’s also sensitive to heat, so give it some shade if you’re trying to grow it during the summer, otherwise, enjoy fresh salads during the spring and fall. Chinese cabbage doesn’t transplant well, so use a peat pot or other biodegradable seed starter if you sow the seeds indoors.
5) Watercress is a popular small vegetable
Watercress is a small green vegetable that is easy to grow.
Watercress is another unique green vegetable that is becoming increasingly popular due to its peppery flavor and ease of growth. It is often grown throughout the winter. Sow the seeds directly outdoors and harvest as soon as the leaves are large enough (about 5 cm). You can sow in succession each week for a continuous harvest, but when it’s too hot, you may find that the peppery flavor becomes too strong.
6) Kale is not just ornamental
Kale is a decorative vegetable but also delicious.
Kale is one of the most cold-hardy plants on this list and in some gardening areas it can be grown almost year-round. Kale is easy to start directly outdoors, but you’ll need plenty of water since dryness will make the taste more bitter. There are many varieties of cabbages and some are more decorative than others. Harvest the outer leaves, and you can continue to let the plant produce for several weeks.
7) Mesclun: A colorful mix of lettuce and small salads
Mesclun is a mixture of various green vegetables and is sometimes sold as mysticism. I love planting mesclun mixes and enjoying the unique and varied feel of the variety of greens that appear in the garden. Mesclun mixes can be planted in a part of the garden or in a simple container. Harvest as needed and sow new seeds every 10-14 days for continued harvesting.
8) Mustard greens
Mustard is usually grown for the seeds and leaves.
Mustard is another green vegetable that should be kept moist as it can dry out easily. Like lettuces and other vegetables, it is heat-sensitive and is made in early spring and after mid-summer, or when there is enough shade during the hottest times of the year.
9) Radishes are colorful, fast-growing vegetables. Radish
seedlings will appear quickly.
Truly one of the fastest vegetables to grow in your garden, you should definitely try growing radishes in your vegetable garden. They are great for children because of their rapid growth and bright colors. Try planting radishes in many shapes and colors and with unique flavors.
10) Turnips grow quickly
Turnips are ideal as fast-growing vegetables in the garden.
Turnips are an ancient vegetable that offers a great harvest for the home gardener starting at home. Both leaves and roots can be eaten, but not all varieties excel in both areas simultaneously. Turnips are one of the least picky plants on this list when it comes to temperature conditions and are planted during the growing season in many gardening areas. Choose the roots when they are tender and about 5 cm in diameter and then harvest the leaves when they are young and tender.
Many of these vegetables are cool-season plants, so you’ll find them less in the hotter summer months, you’ll find that some plants like broccoli and cabbage will also be rare. I usually grow other vegetables like tomatoes and zucchini in the summer and start over with cool-season plants in the fall. Colder regions can grow anything year-round. I encourage all gardeners, but especially new ones, to add some of these fast-growing vegetables to their gardens. The results are so fast that they are very encouraging when the summer heat begins to arrive and the weeds grow larger and larger. And if you’re trying to do some gardening, try some of these.