Quick Growing Vegetables

Quick growing vegetables are super handy whether you're a new gardener, gardening with kids or just in need of something to fill a bare spot in the vegetable garden fast.

And I have for you here 20 of the quickest growing vegetables you can harvest within a month PLUS must know rules for growing vegetables fast and planting tips for each variety.

So what are you waiting for? You really can grow your own food in just 30 days!

How To Grow Vegetables Quickly

To grow vegetables quickly you need to ignore lots of conventional gardening advice. Key things to focus on are :

1. Leafy Greens
2. Warm Soil
3. Soaking Seeds
4. Planting Baby Veg Close
5. Moist Not Drenched Soil
6. Eating Thinnings
7. Cut & Come Again Harvests
8. Growing From Scraps

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens from cress and salad leaves to brassicas are the best quick growing vegetables. To avoid eating endless lettuce or cabbage pick from each of these groups :

1. Cress
2. Lettuces
3. More Salad Leaves
4. Baby Roots With Leaves
5. Brassicas

Planting Baby Vegetables Close

Look for varieties of leafy greens and some roots - e.g. radish - sold as baby varieties. Plant more of them closer together to get a good harvest of baby veg fast. There are tips on how close together you can plant each veg in the quick growing list below.

Warm Soil 

Most vegetables germinate in a wide temperature range but will pop up quicker and more reliably in warmer soil. So warm soil with DIY plastic covers or cloches. Seeds germinate faster indoors but transplanting tiny leafy green seedlings is a non-starter!

Soak Seeds

Some seeds e.g. spinach, beet greens, spring cabbage & cavolo nero will germinate faster if soaked before planting. I have given soaking times in the planting guides below.

Moist Not Drenched

Seeds need constantly moist but not drenched soil to germinate. As top soil dries quickly, spritz or very gently water soil daily. Little thumb pot waterers are very useful for this.

Eating Thinnings

Vegetables always need thinning out so the healthiest seedlings have enough space to flourish. But don't let those thinnings go to waste - they can all be added to salads, garnishes and sauces.

Cut & Come Again

Almost all leafy greens can be grown as cut-and-come-again crops. A new harvest of leaves will regrow quickly each time you cut leaves for eating.

Typically follow on harvests will be 25-30% quicker than your first harvest, so your quick growing vegetables will grow even quicker!

Grow From Scraps

For a speedier harvest you can actually grow leafy greens from kitchen scraps. You simply pop the bottom of the stem in a bowl of water until it starts rooting and new leaves appear. Your new plant can then be popped in soil.

In my experience collards or spring greens are the best quick growing vegetables to grow from scraps.

Best Quick Growing Vegetables

The best quick growing vegetables all fall within these five categories :

1. Cress
2. Lettuces
3. More Salad Leaves
4. Baby Roots
5. Brassicas

Planting a range of these will give both your gut and your garden soil the diversity it needs for a healthy microbiome.

Cress

Cress of all types are very quick growing, so for a rapid harvest take your pick from :

• Garden Cress
• Land Cress
• Water Cress

Garden Cress

Many of us grew garden cress as a kids science project but it still worth growing these super speedy fresh, peppery sprouts that add a sharp bite to sandwiches, eggs, salads & soups :

• Germinate : 2-3 days
• Harvest : 7 days
• Min Temp : 15°C/59°F
• Max Temp : 25°C/77°F

To plant garden cress ...

1. Broadcast sow densely on surface.
2. Don't bury under soil.
3. Keep soil/matting soaking.
4. Don't thin.

Land Cress

Peppery perennial leaves with a strong flavour that's great in salads and sandwiches.

• Germinate : 5-7 days
• Harvest : 21 days
• Min Temp : 10°C/50°F
• Max Temp : 20°C/68°F

To plant land cress ...

1. Sow 0.5cm deep.
2. Space 2cm apart thinning to 5cm.
3. Keep in partial shade.
4. Requires high moisture, don't let soil dry out at all.

Watercress

Clean, sharp leaves with a refreshing bite, perfect for soups and salads.

• Germinate : 5-7 days
• Harvest : 21 days
• Min Temp : 15°C/59°F
• Max Temp : 25°C/77°F

To plant watercress seed ...

1. Sow on very moist soil.
2. Press seeds into surface.
3. Keep constantly damp.

Lettuces

Loose leaf and mini lettuces are ready to harvest in as little as a month and you can eat thinned out seedlings even earlier. Five of the best quick growing lettuce varieties are :

• Black Seeded Simpson
• Red Sails
• Lollo Rosso
• Oakleaf
• Little Gem

To plant lettuce seeds :

1. Sow seeds ¼ inch deep in moist soil.
2. Space seeds a few inches apart.
3. Sow a week's harvest - e.g. 4 or 5 lettuces - weekly for a month for a constant cut-and-come-again harvest.

Black Seeded Simpson

Black Seeded Simpson is a crisp green, fast-growing and heat-tolerant loose leaf lettuce to cut-and-come-again.

• Germinate : 7-10 days
• Harvest : 21-28 days
• Min Temp : 10°C/50°F
• Max Temp : 24°C/75°F

Red Sails

Red Sails is a ruffled red-tinged looseleaf lettuce with mild flavour.

• Germinate : 7-10 days
• Harvest : 20-30 days
• Min Temp : 10°C/50°F
• Max Temp : 24°C/75°F

Lollo Rosso

Lollo Rosso is a curly red-fringed looseleaf lettuce, that adds texture and colour to salads.

• Germinate : 7-10 days
• Harvest : 25-30 days
• Min Temp : 10°C/50°F
• Max Temp : 21°C/70°F

Oakleaf

Oakleaf lettuce has tender, sweet loose leaves shaped rather like oak leaves. It comes in green and red varieties.

• Germinate : 7-10 days
• Harvest : 30 days
• Min Temp : 10°C/50°F
• Max Temp : 24°C/75°F

Little Gem

Little Gem are compact mini romaine lettuces with crisp sweet hearts ideal for salads or grilling.

• Max Temp : 24°C/75°F
• Germinate : 7-10 days
• Harvest : 30 days
• Min Temp : 10°C/50°F

More Quick Growing Salad Leaves

You can grow too much lettuce as I learned the hard way! So for greater variety, do plant some other quick growing salad leaves such as :

• Baby Spinach
• Rocket (Arugula)
• Mizuna & Mibuna

Baby Spinach

Soft, rich green leaves ideal for salads, curries, pies and pasta dishes.

• Germinate : 5-10 days
• Harvest : 28 days
• Min Temp : 10°C/50°F
• Max Temp : 20°C/68°F

To grow baby spinach leaves quickly

1. Don't pre-warm soil, prefers cool.
2. Soak seeds for 12 hours.
3. Sow 1.5cm deep.
4. Space/thin seeds 3-5cm apart.

For more tips check out this big guide to Growing Spinach.

Rocket (Arugula)

Peppery, nutty leaves perfect for salads, pizza, pesto and sandwiches.

• Germinate : 4-7 days
• Harvest : 21 days
• Min Temp : 10°C/50°F
• Max Temp : 25°C/77°F

To grow baby rocket leaves quickly :

1. Warm soil if below 10°C.
2. Sow 0.5cm deep.
3. Broadcast sow lightly over bed.

Mizuna & Mibuna

Mild, slightly peppery Japanese greens for salads, noodles and light stir-fries.

• Germinate : 3-5 days
• Harvest : 21 days
• Min Temp : 10°C/50°F
• Max Temp : 25°C/77°F

To grow mizuna and mibuna quickly :

1. Pre-warm soil in early spring.
2. Sow 0.5cm deep.
3. Space 10cm apart.

Baby Roots With Edible Leaves

Baby roots offer a double whammy as a quick growing vegetable because you can eat both the roots and the leaves. Including small roots in your vegetable bed also helps to keep a better balance in your vegetable bed. So give these a go :

• Radish
• Turnip Greens
• Beet Greens
• Mustard Greens

Radish

Crisp, juicy roots with a peppery crunch, ideal for salads, pickles and fresh spring dishes.

• Germination : 4-7 days
• Harvest : 21 days
• Min Temp : 15°C/59°F
• Max Temp : 25°C/77°F

Choose small varieties for rapid growth. To sow radishes :

1. Pre-warm soil in early spring.
2. Sow 1 cm deep.
3. Space 2.5–5 cm apart.

Turnip Greens

The earthy, slightly spicy leaves of baby turnips are best suited to sautés with garlic and butter and garlicky soups. You can leave the turnip root in place and keep picking some baby leaves from each root as a cut and come again crop.

But baby turnip roots are themselves surprisingly delicious when roasted lightly.

• Germinate : 3-7 days
• Harvest : 25 days (baby leaves)
• Min Temp : 15°C/59°F
• Max Temp : 30°C/86°F

1. Sow 1 cm deep.
2. Sow/thin to 20 cm apart for baby turnip roots.
3. Or 10cm apart for leaves only.

Beet Greens

The sweet, earthy leaves of baby beetroots are excellent for steaming, sautéing and adding colour to salads. Keep harvesting baby leaves as a cut and come again crop but don't take all the leaves from a single root.

As seedlings grow bigger, thin them out and enjoy deliciously tiny roast beetroots.

• Germinate : 5-10 days
• Harvest : 25 days (baby leaves)
• Min Temp : 10°C/50°F
• Max Temp : 30°C/86°F

1. Soak seeds for 12 hours.
2. Pre-warm soil to 15°C.
3. Sow 2 cm deep.
4. Sow/thin to 10cm for tiny baby beets.

Beet greens like spinach are high in anti-nutrient oxalates. If you struggle with oxalates, blanch the leaves well and discard the water or grow mustard and turnip greens that are a much lower oxalate leafy green alternative.

Mustard Greens

Quick growing mustard greens pack a healthy punch with good helpings of vitamin C, K and beta-carotene. Like turnip greens they have a strong taste - peppery and slightly bitter - but this mellows wonderfully when cooked with garlic or braised with pork dishes.

Mustard roots have, like their seeds, got a powerful kick and can be used similarly and in similar quantities to horseradish.

• Germinate : 5-10 days
• Harvest : 21 days (baby leaves)
• Min Temp : 10°C/50°F
• Max Temp : 25°C/77°F

1. Sow 1cm deep.
2. Sow in a small area.
3. You can slow most of your seeds close together as you really are growing for leaves not roots.

Garden mustard is not invasive like wild garlic mustard but can be a bit of a bully in the vegetable garden so don't sow too much.

Cabbages & Brassicas

Cabbages and other brassicas do take a little longer to grow but these quick growing varieties will still be ready in 30 days and will be much quicker when they grow back again after the first harvest :

• Spring Cabbage
• Pointed Cabbage
• Cavolo Nero
• Tatsoi
• Pak Choi

Spring Cabbage

Tender, mild leaves suited to steaming, shredding and classic spring dishes.

• Germinate : 5-10 days
• Harvest : 30 days 
• Min Temp : 15°C/59°F
• Max Temp : 25°C/77°F

1. Soak seeds for 6-12 hours.
2. Warm soil pre-planting.
3. Sow 1 cm deep.
4. Space 10-15cm apart.

For more tips check out this big guide to Growing Spring Greens.

Pointed Cabbage

Sweet, compact leaves great for slaws, steaming and light sautéing.

• Germinate : 5-10 days
• Harvest : 30 days 
• Min Temp : 15°C/59°F
• Max Temp : 25°C/77°F

1. Soak seeds for 6-12 hours.
2. Warm soil pre-planting.
3. Sow 1 cm deep.
4. Space 10-15cm apart.

Cavolo Nero

Dark, richly flavoured leaves ideal for soups, pasta and hearty dishes.

• Germinate : 5-10 days
• Harvest : 30 days 
• Min Temp : 15°C/59°F
• Max Temp : 25°C/77°F

1. Warm soil for better germination rate.
2. Soak seeds for 12 hours.
3. Sow 1 cm deep, 8-10cm apart.

Tatsoi

Tender spoon-shaped leaves with mild mustard flavour for salads and stir-fries.

• Germinate : 3-5 days
• Harvest : 25 days
• Min Temp : 15°C/59°F
• Max Temp : 25°C/77°F

1. Warm soil pre-sowing for rapid start.
2. Sow densely 1cm deep.
3. Space 5-10cm apart for baby leaves.

Pak Choi

Pak-choi has crisp stems and tender leaves perfect for stir-fries, soups and Asian dishes.

• Germinate : 3-5 days
• Harvest : 30 days
• Min Temp : 15°C/59°F
• Max Temp : 25°C/77°F

1. Pre-warm soil to prevent bolting in cold.
2. Sow 1cm deep.
3. Space 10-15cm apart.

And there you go. 20 of the very quickest growing vegetables for your vegetable garden.

For more vegetable growing tips check out my other grow-your-own posts and follow me on Pinterest

Original image sources: Fresh young spinach leaves on a white background, Pieces of chopped beet and whole beet on white background, Fresh wet spinach with water drops & Salad mix with rucola, frisee and radicchio / Gemischter Salat by Marco Verch under Creative Commons 2.0