Plant These Fast Growing Veggies for an Early Harvest
The biggest drawback to having your own garden is that many vegetables take too long to grow. However, there are a number of common vegetables that can start to be harvested as soon as a few weeks after planting. Take a look at the following varieties in order to make the most out of your growing season this year.
Broccoli
Broccoli can be harvested anywhere from two-three months depending on the variety and local climate. While this is not as fast as many other varieties, broccoli has a relatively long shelf life, especially if you can freeze them. The nice thing about broccoli is that the plants will keep producing new heads throughout the growing season, so you can pick off the developed ones and keep coming back for more.
Peas
Peas also take about 40-70 days to mature, and they are loaded with nutrients that make them worth the wait. They also can be harvested in piecemeal fashion, so you will have a steady supply throughout the growing season. Peas are also very easy to store over the long-term as well.
Snap Beans
Snap beans yield a lot of product in a small amount of space, and they contain the nutrients that other legumes provide. They only take about six weeks to grow, and you can start picking them once they beans are tender. Try to harvest them when they are small in order to keep the mother plant as productive as possible for the entire season.
Radishes
Radishes are some of the fastest growing vegetables out there, and they can be ready for picking within three weeks of planting. Stagger your growing times by planting some seeds closer to the surface and others a little bit deeper. The deeper ones will take a week or two longer to mature, but this will make it easier to get a steady rotation going throughout the season without having to plant seeds over and over again.
Spinach
Every garden should have spinach because it is a very easy plant to grow and it’s loaded with nutrients. It only takes about six weeks for the leaves to be harvested, and the plants will keep producing new ones during the course of the season. Just remember to pick the mature ones and allow the others to grow in order to keep the plants productive. This will also help you to have a steady supply all summer long.
Leafy Lettuce
It only takes about 4-6 weeks to start seeing abundant amounts of leafy lettuce ready for picking. They are also very easy to grow and maintain. Just give them nutrient-rich soil that provides ample drainage along with enough water, and the lettuce will flourish. You can pick the leaves as soon as they look mature, usually when they’re more than four inches long. Keep picking the other leaves as they mature, and you can create a nice ongoing rotation that can last until after the first couple of frosts in many cases.
Kale
Kale is one of the easiest plants to grow, and they thrive under a wide-range of conditions. Like lettuce, you can start harvesting mature leaves after about four weeks, and keep going all season long.
Beets
Beets are not the fastest growing veggies in gardens, but they provide a double benefit. You can harvest some of the shoots once they mature and then come back for the roots once they start to protrude from the soil. Expect to be able to start pulling beets after about seven weeks after planting.
These are just a few examples of many vegetables that you can grow early and often in most gardens. The more space you can dedicate to fast-growing plants will give you access to more nutrition at a greater rate. This is important, especially when you are planting a survival garden or trying to be as self-sufficient as possible. Take time to learn more about simple things that you can do to maximize garden productivity, and you will be amazed at how much food you can squeeze out of each growing season.
