I admit that subtitle is a bit misleading. No matter how much of a hurry you might be in, the magic of nature takes time. So “hurry” is pretty relative here. That said, there are some vegetables that take what seems like foreeeeeeeeever to grow. I love spaghetti squash and Brussels sprouts, but you gotta have some serious patience to grow those. The veggies here, however, are some of the quickest vegetables to grow throughout the year.
There’s some good stuff, too. You’ll find crisp radishes and crunchy greens, as well as some surprises like garlic (which actually takes a long time to grow, but more on that in a few paragraphs).
What’s not on this list? I stuck with vegetables that you can harvest in less than 60 days, although some come in well under that. On the other hand, tomatoes can take around 90 days to mature, while winter squash, depending on the variety, can take over 100 days. As much as I love them, they definitely don’t make the list of the quickest vegetables to grow.
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Spring, summer, fall, and even winter – these are the quickest vegetables to grow no matter the season
- Radishes. You’re going to get tired of my raving about radishes, but they really are amazing. And they might be at the top of the list of the quickest vegetables to grow. Some varieties, like the D’Avignon, are ready to harvest in just 21 days!
- Loose-leaf lettuce. You’d never know it from all the restaurant commercials on television, but Iceberg is not the only kind of lettuce out there. In fact, there are dozens of varieties, some of which are ready to harvest in under 30 days. Lettuce also does well in cool weather, so it’s a perfect vegetable for early spring and late fall.
- Spinach. Spinach is another cool season vegetable, and will even grow well into winter in a protected environment. Depending on the variety, you can harvest spinach in 30 to 40 days.
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- Pak Choi. You might know this as “Bok Choy.” This crisp, yet tender green vegetable is versatile, although it’s probably most often used in stir fries. You can plant these as soon as the soil is workable in spring and in about 30 days you can enjoy the baby version, or wait a few weeks for more mature plants.
- Beets. I love beets. Grate them raw for salads, roast them for a rich, deep flavor, enjoy the greens in lasagna or cooked with a little garlic and olive oil – you simply can’t go wrong with this most beautiful of vegetables. You can plant them from early spring through early fall and some varieties are ready to harvest in just 50 days.
Bonus! Garlic. Okay, garlic is most decidedly not one of the quickest vegetables to grow, in fact it’s one of the longest—so why is it on this list? Did you ever hear that saying about being so far behind that you’re ahead? I feel like that’s the case with garlic. It can take up to 8 months before garlic is ready to harvest, but by that time, you’ve pretty much forgotten about it. Bury your bulbs in the fall, and just when you’re starting to get going in the spring, you’ll already be well on your way. Garlic might be a sneaky addition to this list, but I stand by my decision. Also, for any Bram Stoker fans, there is a variety of garlic that originates from a small village in the Transylvanian Mountains, if you’re looking for a new varietal to try.
What are some of your favorite “quick” vegetables to grow? I’d love to hear about your garden.
Discover 10 top tips for growing, harvesting, and enjoying fruits, vegetables, herbs and more from your home garden—when you access the FREEBIE How to Grow a Vegetable Garden, right now!
