The 16 Fastest Growing Vegetables for Impatient Gardeners (2024)

Gardening

Vegetables

• 01 of 16

  Cress (Lepidium sativum)

  

  Cress is another unique green that is popular thanks to its peppery flavor, ease of growing, and fast harvest time of 15 to 20 days. It's often grown throughout the winter as a delicious year-round microgreen. It's best to grow cress in a shallow tray that's lined with wet paper towels. Sprinkle the seeds over the surface and cover the tray with plastic wrap.

  The cress will germinate within a couple of days. Harvest as soon as leaves are about 2 inches in size. You can sow successively each week for continual harvest, but if you're growing outside, you may find the peppery taste gets too strong when the weather turns hot.

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial shade
  • Soil Needs: No soil needed

• 02 of 16

  Radishes (Raphanus sativus)

  

  Truly one of the fastest-growing vegetables to tuck into your garden with a 21-day seed-to-harvest timeline, radishes are a must-try. They are perfect for kids' gardens because of how quickly they grow. Try planting heirloom radishes ​for unique colors, shapes, and flavors.

  Thin seedlings once they've sprouted so the roots can grow without constraint. Don't bother trying to start radishes indoors either—just sprinkle the seeds outdoors where you want them.

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Soil Needs: Loamy, sandy

• 03 of 16

  Arugula (Eruca vesicaria ssp. sativa)

  

  After planting fast-growing arugula seeds, seedlings should emerge between 7 to 14 days, and the leaves will be grown and ready to harvest in about 21 to 28 days. This cruciferous vegetable has a slightly peppery flavor that makes it delicious in a salad or as an alternative to basil pesto.

  Sow the seeds directly in the ground, and cut the leaves when they're ready to harvest.Because its roots are relatively shallow, arugula can also be grown in container gardens. If you want a more tender and sweet arugula, harvest the leaves earlier.

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun, part-shade
  • Soil Needs: Humus-rich, well-drained

  Tip

  If you continue to grow arugula through the summer months, try growing it in a shadier spot, to prevent it from going to seed too quickly.

  See Also

  9 Fruits and Veggies That Aren't as Healthy as You Think | diet-nutritionThe 12 Healthiest Vegetables — Backed by Science - GoodRxMarket Gardening 101: Profitable Crops to Grow in Small GardensWhat food has the highest profit margin?

• 04 of 16

  Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)

  

  Spinach is a nutritious vegetable that grows quickly in cool weather, going from seed to harvest in 28 to 42 days. Plant it in full sun or partial shade for the most efficient growing season.

  Spinach can be harvested multiple times in the "cut and come again" method. Cut the individual older leaves and let the younger inner leaves continue to grow for a later harvest. If you cut the leaves at about an inch above the base, the plant may send out a new batch of leaves for you to harvest at a later date.

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Soil Needs: Loamy, neutral

  Continue to 5 of 16 below

• 05 of 16

  Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

  

  Lettuce can be ready to harvest in as little as 30 days from when you plant the seeds. This versatile leafy green is a favorite of both seasonal gardeners and those who grow in a hydroponic garden.

  Known for being easy to grow, lettuce does best as a cool season vegetable, which is planted in early spring and harvested in late spring to early summer. You can also grow it in the fall as the temperatures begin to drop.

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial sun
    
  • Soil Needs: Loamy, rich, well-drained, acidic, neutral
    

• 06 of 16

  Turnips (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa)

  

  Turnips are an old-fashioned vegetable that provides a great harvest for the home gardener roughly 45 days after planting. Both the leavesand the roots can be eaten, although not every variety excels at both simultaneously.

  Turnips are one of the least fussy plants on this list when it comes to temperature conditions and can be planted through the entire growing season in many gardening zones. Pick roots when they are tender—at around 2–3 inches in circumference—and harvest leaves when they are young.

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Soil Needs: Loamy, sandy, slightly acidic to neutral

• 07 of 16

  Mustard Greens (Brassica juncea)

  

  Mustard greens go from seed to harvest in 45 to 50 days. Like lettuces and other greens, mustard greens are sensitive to heat and do best in early spring and after mid-summer, or when given some shade during the hottest times of the year.

  They have to be kept well-watered, as they will turn unpleasantly bitter if allowed to dry out. Although mustard greens are not as cold-hardy as kale, they can tolerate a light frost.

  Harvest the mustard greens when the leaves are large enough to eat. If you want mustard greens year-round, you can also grow them indoors in a hydroponic garden.

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial shade
  • Soil Needs: Sandy, clay, well-drained, moist

• 08 of 16

  See Also

  What are the healthiest vegetables? The No. 1 pick, according to a dietitian

  Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo)

  

  Zucchini is one of summer's favorite plants, and it grows to harvest-ready size in 45 to 55 days. Beginner gardeners might be astounded at how quickly a zucchini plant will grow and, unless you have neighbors to take your extra veggies, you could end up with more zucchini than you can possibly use in one season.

  While most zucchini will spread rapidly in a garden, some varieties are suited to a small space.

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    
  • Soil Needs: Fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral
    

  Continue to 9 of 16 below

• 09 of 16

  Bok Choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis)

  

  Another quick-growing vegetable, bok choy (also known as pak choi) is a type of Chinese cabbage that is ready for harvest in 45 to 60 days depending on weather and variety. There are two varieties you can grow: baby bok choy, which is less than 10 inches tall, and standard bok choy, which grows 1 to 2 feet tall.

  Plant your bok choy in partial shade for best results, though it can handle full sun. Water it consistently, as drought causes the plant to bolt. You can grow bok choy in a hydroponic garden for a year-round harvest.

  • Sun Exposure: Partial shade
  • Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining

• 10 of 16

  Kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica)

  

  Kale is one of the most cold-tolerant plants on this list of fast-growing vegetables, and it's ready for harvest in about 50 to 55 days. In some gardening zones, it can be grown almost year-round, and you can also grow in a hydroponic garden. Spring-planted types of kale often take a little bit longer to mature than kale grown in the late summer or early fall.

  Kale is easy to start directly outdoors, but it needs plenty of water, as drought will make it bitter. Harvest leaves from the outside of the bunch when they're large enough to eat, and continue to let the plant produce for several weeks.

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial shade
  • Soil Needs: Loamy

• 11 of 16

  Broccoli Rabe (Brassica ruvo)

  

  Broccoli rabe, which grows best in full sun, will be ready to harvest in 50 to 60 days. Also called broccoli raab or rapini, rabe resembles broccoli; however, it is actually more closely related to turnips. It has a somewhat bitter taste.

  The trick with broccoli rabe is to harvest the clusters as soon as they appear because they will open to flower fast. The leaves and stems of broccoli rabe are also edible and taste best if harvested young.

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Soil Needs: Nutrient-rich, neutral pH

• 12 of 16

  Green Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)

  

  Depending on the variety of green beans you plant, you can expect a harvest anywhere from 50 to 65 days after planting the seed. Green beans generally grow best from May to October, and they are easy to grow with relatively few pesky predators or diseases.

  If you plant certain types of green beans, like a pole bean, you may need to provide a trellis for climbing.

  • Sun Exposure: Full
  • Soil Needs: Loamy, slightly acidic to neutral
    

  Continue to 13 of 16 below

• 13 of 16

  Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus)

  

  You can have refreshing summer cucumbers in 50 to 70 days from the time you first sow seeds. These cool, crisp veggies are easy to grow and should be harvested when they reach roughly 3 to 8 inches.

  Since cucumbers can fall victim to pests, including the cucumber beetle, look for varieties that are more pest-resistant. This includes the Asian cucumber, 'Straight Eight,' and Tasty Jade.'

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
    
  • Soil Needs: Loose, well drained, slightly acidic
    

• 14 of 16

  Beets (Beta vulgaris)

  

  If your idea of a spring salad includes vibrant beets, then you'll be glad to know that beetroots are ready to harvest in 50 to 70 days. You can sow seeds early in spring, as soon as the soil begins to warm up, and even before the last frost. You can plant them again in the fall once afternoon temperatures begin to drop to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

  You'll know beets are ready to harvest when their roots reach roughly golf ball size. They're easy to grow and rarely impacted by pests or disease, so they're a great choice for beginner gardeners.

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial sun
    
  • Soil Needs: Loamy, sandy, silt, moist, well-drained, neutral

• 15 of 16

  Carrots (Daucus carota)

  

  Carrots are versatile veggies that roast beautifully or add a delicious crunch to salads, and they're also quick growing, providing you a harvest in just 50 to 75 days.

  These biennial root vegetables are harvested in their first year of growth before they overwinter. These easy-to-grow veggies are known for being compact and working well in a garden or in a container. You'll start to see germination in just 10 to 21 days.

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    
  • Soil Needs: Loose, well-draining, slightly acidic
    

• 16 of 16

  Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)

  

  Roughly 60 to 70 days after planting your okra seeds, the pods will be two to three inches long, which means they're ready to harvest. It's best to plant okra in the spring once the soiltemperature reaches 65 to 70 degrees.

  While okra is excellent in stews or fried, it also makes for an attractive decorative plant in your garden. Its flowers are a favorite of vegetable gardeners and floral gardeners alike.

  • Sun Exposure: Full
    
  • Soil Needs: Moist but well-drained, acidic