Start your own garden by planting these fast-growing vegetables that you can harvest in 30 days!
If you are a beginner gardener, you might feel a bit impatient to see the fruits of your labor. If that’s the case, then you are certainly going to love this list of quick-growing vegetables.
We’re talking vegetables that you can harvest in 30-40 days and use in your favorite meals! Whether you plan to grow your veggies in the garden or in containers, just choose the ones you like best, plant the seeds and before you know it, you’ll be enjoying a fresh homegrown salad.
Arugula
Arugula comes first on our list of fast-growing vegetables that you can harvest in 30-40 days because it is fast indeed. Germination happens just 3-4 days after sowing the seeds in case conditions are suitable. As a cool weather crop, you can sow it in your garden in spring just after the last spring frost or in early fall just after the summer heat. Alternatively, you may plant the seeds in containers indoors as early as January/February and basically any time during the year except for the hottest months.
Make sure you provide ample sunlight and water regularly. Seedlings grow really quickly and in about 30 days you can start harvesting arugula leaves for your fresh salad. Leave the smaller inner leaves to continue developing so that you can come back and harvest every few days or just harvest the whole mature plants and sow again.
Lettuce
When talking about fast-growing vegetables we just can’t go without lettuce. Although there are a lot of different varieties to choose from, they all have one thing in common. Lettuce is one of the first spring leafy greens that we can enjoy, which means that it grows quickly. Yes, it does.
So, start planting in early spring after the last spring frost has passed but the temperatures are still below 75F/23C. Otherwise, the seeds will struggle to germinate. Water regularly and watch your leafy greens grow fast. In about 30 days you can start harvesting the bigger outer leaves and treating yourself to a fresh and healthy salad. Leave the smaller inner leaves to continue growing, so that you can harvest until the plants start to flower.
Spinach
Another leafy green in our collection of fast-growing vegetables you can harvest in 30-40 days is spinach. Not only is it quick to grow, but also really versatile. You can use the tender baby leaves for your healthy green salad and smoothie or cook them in stews, casseroles, savory pies, etc.
Sow the seeds in spring when the temperatures are still below 75F/23C, otherwise, they may not germinate. You can even plant the seeds before the last spring frost because spinach is a cold-weather crop and doesn’t like the summer heat. Make sure there is at least a 6-inch space between the plants and water regularly. In about a month you can start harvesting the first baby leaves and enjoy this healthy green veggie in your dishes.
Radishes
Radishes, as one of the first spring veggies, can certainly find their honorable place on our list of vegetables that you can harvest in 30-40 days. And there is a good reason for that. If properly planted under the right conditions, then you can harvest them in as little as 20 days.
Just sprinkle the seeds 1/2 inch deep directly in the soil in early spring even before the last spring frost. Then water regularly and in 3-4 weeks your radishes will be ready for a delicious vitamin-packed salad. You can continue sowing every 10-15 days until the temperatures are below 75F/23C. If you like the quick and easy planting process as well as the taste of the spicy, crisp, and zesty radishes, then you can sow again in fall, right after the summer heat.
Baby Beets
When looking for fast-growing vegetables that you can harvest in 30 days, you should strongly consider beets. Not only is it really easy and quick to grow, but it is also really versatile. To begin with, you can use the baby leaves for a fresh, nutritious salad. Fully-grown, mature leaves, similar to spinach, can be used in stews, casseroles as well as other healthy dishes. Along with that, you can consume the beets, either baby or mature, both raw and cooked. Basically, the possibilities are endless, so let your imagination run wild.
Sow the seeds in early spring and water generously to encourage germination. Although beetroot needs as long as 7-8 weeks to fully mature, you can first start harvesting young plants while thinning them.
Then, when there are 3-4 inches of space between the beets, they will become stronger and grow more leaves. At this point, you can harvest their leaves by cutting the bigger outer ones and leaving several smaller leaves, so that the root can continue growing.
In about 4-5 weeks, depending on the climatic conditions, you may pull out a beetroot to check how big it is. It will most probably have developed a small head that is actually the baby beet. Use it in your salad, smoothie or fresh juice. The longer you leave the beets in the ground, the bigger they will become. In the meantime, you can keep on harvesting green leaves.
Kale
Kale is often called a superfood due to its remarkable health benefits. It is not only extremely nutritious and tasty but really easy to grow at home as well. So, it’s no wonder that it is one of our top suggestions for fast-growing vegetables you can harvest in 30 days.
What you need to do is sow the seeds 1/4 inch deep and 1-2 inches apart. Do it in early spring because kale is a cool-weather crop that doesn’t like the summer heat. Alternatively, you may plant the seeds in September/October. Water regularly and make sure they receive at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight a day.
As soon as the seedlings appear, thin them so that there are at least 6 inches between the plants. Although kale needs about as long as 7-8 weeks to fully mature, you can start harvesting fresh and tender baby leaves just 25-30 days after planting. Just make sure you pick only the lowest outer leaves while letting the inner ones grow.
Mustard Greens
And last on our list of fast-growing vegetables to harvest in 30 days come mustard greens. In case you haven’t heard of these before, they are close relatives to kale and cabbage but have a very pronounced peppery flavor. When raw they taste a lot like arugula. If you cook them, then you will find them milder and much more similar to spinach.
Sow the seeds in early spring or in fall, just after the summer heat. Water generously to speed up germination. As soon as the seedlings appear and grow their first leaves, thin them so that there is about 12 inch-space between the plants.
Don’t throw away the baby plants, they are actually your first harvest. Then, in about 4 weeks you can start harvesting the leaves. They should be around 3-6 inches tall. Continue harvesting until the smaller inner leaves reach that height as well. If you leave them to grow bigger, then they won’t be that tender and may have a slightly bitter taste.
More Easy Vegetables To Grow
I hope you enjoyed this collection of fast-growing vegetables that you can harvest in 30 days! Get some seeds and when the conditions are right, start planting. For more easy to grow vegetables and herbs for beginner gardeners, check out these articles as well: