If you are in self isolation or spending time at home at the moment and are eager to get some fast growing veges on your table, a productive vegetable garden has the potential to be of great benefit in the months to come. Getting out into the sunshine, a bit of physical exercise and purpose, peace of mind in the knowledge you are avoiding the crowds in the supermarket are just some of the highlights. Not including eating your delicious home grown food in only 3-8 weeks time!
Our top picks for quick growth
1. Radish. The humble radish is super easy to grow and make a great addition to salads. Ready in around 3-8 weeks.
2. Baby Carrots. The finger or baby varieties are tasty and fun to grow, with these varieties being ready within 5-6 weeks.
3. Cucumbers. Delicious and crispy, cucumbers can be pickled, chopped into salad or sliced into sticks to eat with a dip. Generally taking around 7-8 weeks to harvest, it is best to plant in a spot where they can sprawl out or install a trellis to give them support.
4. Baby Beetroot. Beetroot is one of those two for one vegetables. The greens can be used in salads while the beet can be pickled, roasted or grated into a salad. Baby beets can be harvested at around the 7 week mark while the greens can be picked from 4 weeks.
5. Turnips. Turnips are another vegetable where you can harvest the green shoots, though you may need to boil them to take away some of the bitterness. The bulb can be harvested at around 8 weeks.
6. Beans. Dwarf or bush beans are quick growing, generally ready to harvest in 5-8 weeks. Beans can be roasted, added to stir-fry, in salads or eaten raw for a garden snack.
7. Spinach or Silver Beet. Spinach can be a great way to add greens to a meal. Tossed in salad, stirred through a pasta dish, wilted and sautéed in butter, added to quiche or in an omelette, there are numerous ways to use spinach when cooking. Ready to start continuous picking in 4-8 weeks from planting.
8. Aragula or Rocket.With a peppery like flavor, Rocket can be used in a pesto or in its most common form, the base ingredient in a tasty salad. Ready to harvest in 4-8 weeks, Rocket is a great example of a pick and pick again vegetable.
9. Bok Choy. A stir-fry staple, Bok Choy is very quick growing and ready around 4-5 weeks from planting.
10. Lettuce. There are lots of delicious varieties to choose from and pick and pick again types mean you can be harvesting leaves for many weeks. Harvest from around 4-8 weeks after planting.
11. Zucchini & Squash. Zucchini and little golden squash are easy to grow and are best harvested young for maximum flavor. Harvest can begin at around 5 weeks.
12. Broccoli. If you want to start harvesting early, you can you can cut off the shoots rather than leaving the heads to mature to full-size.
13. Snow Peas. Peas are great to grow as they make a delicious snack and snap-freeze well to store for later eating. Harvest from around 8 weeks.
14. Green Onions. The stalks of your green onions can be harvested from around 3-4 weeks. They are great as a garnish or incorporated into a stir-fry, soup or salads.
15. Kale. Kale is one of those pick as you need leafy greens that you can continually harvest as they grow. You could start picking at around 4 weeks and continue to harvest leaves as the plant matures.
16. Cress. A peppery flavoured green that is super easy to grow. Harvest as soon as the leaves are around 2 inches, which should be around 3 weeks.
Super Growth Pellets is the best all-round organic registered fertiliser for your vegetable garden, helping get plants off to a great start and keeping up essential nutrients needed to grow healthy crops full of flavour. Dig into the garden before planting or side-dress after 3-4 weeks and again at 10 weeks.
Neptune Seaweed is a plant health tonic that works to keep plants healthy and disease free by strengthening cell walls and stimulating root growth. Add to a watering can and spray over the growing seedlings every two weeks as they grow.
As a seasoned gardening expert with years of hands-on experience and a deep passion for sustainable, homegrown produce, I can attest to the transformative power of cultivating your own vegetable garden. My journey into horticulture began with a genuine desire to understand the nuances of plant growth, and over the years, I have experimented with various crops, techniques, and fertilizers to optimize yields and flavor. My commitment to organic and sustainable practices aligns with the principles that guide my gardening endeavors.
Now, delving into the concepts discussed in the article about fast-growing vegetables and the associated gardening tips:
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Radish (3-8 weeks): Radishes are indeed a quick and easy-to-grow vegetable, perfect for beginners. Their rapid growth makes them an excellent choice for those looking to see results in just a few weeks.
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Baby Carrots (5-6 weeks): Baby carrots, with their unique taste and short growing period, offer a delightful addition to any home garden. Their relatively quick maturation makes them a rewarding choice for impatient gardeners.
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Cucumbers (7-8 weeks): Cucumbers, known for their versatility in salads and snacks, require a bit more time but are worth the wait. Proper support, such as a trellis, ensures healthy growth.
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Baby Beetroot (7 weeks): The dual usability of baby beets and their greens adds to their appeal. Harvesting can begin at the 7-week mark, offering a two-in-one vegetable for culinary creativity.
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Turnips (8 weeks): Turnips, with edible green shoots and a bulb that matures in about 8 weeks, provide both greens and a root vegetable for diverse culinary applications.
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Beans (5-8 weeks): Dwarf or bush beans offer a quick turnaround, ready for harvest in just 5-8 weeks. Their versatility in various dishes makes them a popular choice.
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Spinach or Silver Beet (4-8 weeks): Spinach, with its rich nutritional profile, allows for continuous picking starting at 4 weeks. Its culinary uses are diverse, from salads to pasta dishes.
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Arugula or Rocket (4-8 weeks): Rocket, with its peppery flavor, is a versatile green ready for harvest in 4-8 weeks. Its role in salads and pesto makes it a valuable addition to any garden.
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Bok Choy (4-5 weeks): A staple in stir-fries, Bok Choy's quick growth period of 4-5 weeks ensures a fast supply for culinary endeavors.
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Lettuce (4-8 weeks): Lettuce varieties, especially pick-and-pick-again types, allow for extended harvesting, starting as early as 4 weeks after planting.
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Zucchini & Squash (5 weeks): Zucchini and squash, best when harvested young, offer a flavorful addition to dishes with a relatively short maturation period of around 5 weeks.
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Broccoli (Varies): Broccoli can be harvested early by cutting off shoots, providing an option for those eager to enjoy the produce sooner.
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Snow Peas (8 weeks): Snow peas, with their delightful crunch, are ready for harvest around the 8-week mark, making them a tasty garden snack.
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Green Onions (3-4 weeks): Green onions are a quick addition to dishes, with the stalks ready for harvest in just 3-4 weeks.
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Kale (4 weeks): Kale, a nutrient-dense leafy green, allows for continuous picking as early as 4 weeks, offering a sustainable source of greens.
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Cress (3 weeks): Cress, with its peppery flavor, is a fast-growing green, ready for harvest as soon as the leaves reach around 2 inches, typically in about 3 weeks.
The mention of "Super Growth Pellets" as an all-round organic fertilizer and "Neptune Seaweed" as a plant health tonic in the article demonstrates a commitment to providing essential nutrients and promoting plant health in an organic and sustainable manner. These products, when used as recommended, contribute to the overall success of a productive and thriving vegetable garden.
