Top 10 'Seed-to-Supper' Vegetables to grow at home for the impatient gardener's first harvest in under 60 days - Goh Ling Yong
There's a special kind of magic in planting a tiny seed and watching it transform into food for your table. It's a primal, satisfying process. But let's be honest—patience isn't always a gardener's strongest suit. We sow our seeds with grand visions of bountiful harvests, only to find ourselves peering at the soil a day later, wondering if anything is happening. The wait can be agonizing, especially for new gardeners eager to taste their first success.
This feeling is exactly why I’ve become obsessed with the sprinters of the vegetable world. As an avid gardener, I've often shared on Goh Ling Yong's platforms that while patience is a virtue, sometimes you just want to eat what you grow—and fast! The good news is, you don't have to wait all season. There's an entire category of wonderfully quick crops that can go from "seed-to-supper" in less than two months. These vegetables are the perfect antidote to gardening impatience and a fantastic way to build confidence.
Whether you have a short growing season, a small balcony, or simply a desire for near-instant gratification, this list is for you. We've curated the top 10 fastest-growing vegetables that will give you a delicious, tangible reward for your efforts in 60 days or less. So, grab your gloves and a watering can—your first homegrown meal is just around the corner.
1. Radishes (20-30 Days)
If there were an Olympic sprint for vegetables, radishes would take home the gold medal every time. These crisp, peppery orbs are the epitome of fast gardening, with many varieties ready to be pulled from the earth in just three to four weeks. Their rapid growth cycle makes them incredibly satisfying for beginners and a fantastic project for gardening with kids, as the results appear before their attention wanes.
The key to growing perfect radishes is to give them what they want: cool weather and consistent moisture in loose, well-draining soil. If they grow too slowly or in soil that is too compacted or dry, they can become woody and unpleasantly hot. Sow seeds about half an inch deep and an inch apart, thinning them to two inches apart once the seedlings emerge. This spacing is crucial; overcrowding is the number one reason for radishes failing to form proper bulbs.
Pro Tips: For a continuous supply, practice "succession planting." Sow a new small batch of radish seeds every 7-10 days. Popular speedy varieties include 'Cherry Belle' (a classic round red), 'French Breakfast' (an elegant oblong shape), and the beautiful 'Easter Egg' mix, which produces a rainbow of red, purple, and white radishes.
2. Arugula / Rocket (20-40 Days)
Want to add a gourmet touch to your salads, sandwiches, and pizzas in a flash? Arugula is your answer. This leafy green is renowned for its zesty, peppery flavor that intensifies with age. It grows so vigorously that it almost feels like cheating. You can begin harvesting tender baby leaves in as little as three weeks, making it one of the fastest greens you can grow.
Arugula thrives in cooler temperatures and can be planted in early spring and again in late summer for a fall harvest. It’s not fussy about soil and does wonderfully in containers, making it a perfect choice for urban gardeners. Sow the tiny seeds very shallowly, just barely covering them with soil. Like lettuce, arugula is an excellent "cut-and-come-again" crop. Harvest the outer leaves with scissors, leaving the central crown intact, and the plant will reward you by producing fresh new leaves for weeks.
Pro Tips: Hot weather can cause arugula to "bolt" (produce a flower stalk), which turns the leaves bitter. To prolong your harvest, provide some afternoon shade during warmer spells and keep the soil consistently moist. If it does bolt, don't despair—the flowers are edible and make a beautiful, peppery garnish for salads.
3. Loose-Leaf Lettuce (30-45 Days)
While a dense head of iceberg or romaine lettuce can take a while to form, loose-leaf varieties are the impatient gardener's best friend. Instead of forming a tight central head, these lettuces produce a rosette of leaves that can be harvested individually. This means you can be snipping fresh, tender baby greens for your salads in just one month.
Loose-leaf lettuces are incredibly versatile and come in a stunning array of colors, textures, and flavors—from the buttery 'Tom Thumb' to the frilly, red-tinged 'Lollo Rossa'. They prefer cooler weather and can be grown in the ground or in pots at least 6 inches deep. The "cut-and-come-again" harvesting method is where they truly shine. Simply trim the outer leaves about an inch above the soil line, and the plant will continue to generate new growth from the center. You can get multiple harvests from a single planting!
Pro Tips: Plant a mix of different varieties like 'Black Seed Simpson' (a reliable classic) and 'Oakleaf' for a more interesting, diverse salad bowl right from your garden. To avoid bitter leaves, ensure consistent watering and protect plants from the harsh afternoon sun in hot climates.
4. Spinach (30-45 Days)
Spinach is a nutritional powerhouse, and thankfully, it's also a rapid grower. In the cool weather of spring and fall, you can go from seed to a harvest of tender, delicious leaves in about 4-6 weeks. Freshly picked spinach has a sweet, earthy flavor that is far superior to the bags you find at the grocery store.
Like many leafy greens, spinach is prone to bolting once the days get long and hot, so timing is key. Plant it as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring, and plan for a second crop in the fall. Sow seeds about half an inch deep and a few inches apart. You can harvest the entire plant at once or adopt the cut-and-come-again method by picking the outer leaves to extend the harvest period.
Pro Tips: Choose a "slow-bolt" variety like 'Bloomsdale Long Standing' or 'Tyee' to get a longer harvest window. Spinach loves nitrogen, so amending your soil with some well-rotted compost before planting will give your crop a significant boost and result in lush, dark green leaves.
5. Baby Bok Choy / Pak Choi (30-45 Days)
Bok Choy is a type of Chinese cabbage with a mild, sweet flavor and a delightfully crunchy texture. While full-sized heads take a bit longer, the "baby" varieties are ready for your stir-fries and sautés in a remarkably short time. They are compact, easy to grow, and perform exceptionally well in containers.
Sow seeds about a quarter-inch deep in rich, moist soil. The plants will first form a cluster of leaves and then a dense, vase-like stalk. You can harvest them at almost any stage, but the baby varieties are perfect when they reach about 4-6 inches tall. Their tolerance for partial shade makes them a great option for gardens that don't receive a full day of direct sun.
Pro Tips: Flea beetles can sometimes be a nuisance, creating tiny "shotgun" holes in the leaves. The damage is mostly cosmetic, but you can protect young plants with a floating row cover. For a super-fast harvest, look for varieties specifically labeled as "baby" or "dwarf," such as 'Toy Choy'.
6. Bush Beans (45-60 Days)
There is nothing quite like the crisp snap and sweet flavor of a bean picked fresh from the vine. While pole beans require trellising and more time to mature, bush beans are compact, self-supporting, and incredibly productive. They form a small "bush" and produce their crop all at once, giving you a massive harvest in under two months.
Beans are warm-weather lovers, so wait to plant them until after your last frost date and the soil has warmed up. Sow seeds one inch deep and about 3-4 inches apart. They are not heavy feeders and actually fix nitrogen in the soil, which benefits the crops you plant there next. The best part is the harvest; once they start producing, you'll need to check the plants every day or two, as the beans develop quickly.
Pro Tips: For the best flavor and texture, pick beans when they are young and slender, before the seeds inside begin to bulge. Varieties like 'Provider' and 'Bush Blue Lake 274' are known for their reliability and prolific yields. Continuous picking encourages the plant to produce more pods.
7. Salad Turnips (40-55 Days)
Forget the bitter, woody turnips of yesteryear. Modern "salad" or "Japanese" turnips are a completely different vegetable. They are incredibly fast-growing and produce smooth, round, white roots with a surprisingly sweet, crisp, and juicy flavor—many people enjoy eating them raw, like an apple! As a bonus, the leafy greens are also delicious and can be cooked like spinach.
These turnips thrive in cool weather and are best planted in spring or fall. Sow the seeds about half an inch deep and thin the seedlings to about 4 inches apart to give the roots room to swell. Consistent moisture is vital for a mild flavor and tender texture. You can begin harvesting when the roots are about the size of a golf ball, though they remain sweet even when they get larger.
Pro Tips: 'Hakurei' is the gold-standard salad turnip variety, prized for its exceptionally smooth texture and sweet taste. Don't discard the thinnings! The tiny seedlings you pull to make space for others are a delicious and tender addition to salads.
8. Green Onions / Scallions (20-60 Days)
Green onions are a must-have for any impatient gardener. They offer multiple paths to a quick harvest. If you plant from seed, you can be snipping green tops in about 50-60 days. If you use "sets" (small onion bulbs), you can cut that time in half. But for the absolute fastest results, you can regrow them from kitchen scraps!
To regrow store-bought scallions, simply place the white root ends in a jar with an inch of water. Within days, you'll see new green shoots emerging from the top. Once they have a few inches of growth, you can plant them in a pot of soil to continue producing. When harvesting, snip the green tops about an inch above the soil, and they will regrow for several more cuttings.
Pro Tips: When planting from seed, sow them densely in a patch or a wide row rather than in single file lines. This makes for an easy "mow and come again" harvest with scissors. They are a perfect "filler" crop to tuck in between slower-growing plants.
9. Zucchini / Summer Squash (50-60 Days)
Zucchini pushes the upper limit of our 60-day rule, but its sheer, almost comical productivity earns it a spot on this list. Once a zucchini plant starts producing, it doesn't stop. You'll go from flower to a harvestable squash in just a matter of days. The key is to harvest them small and often, which is when they have the best flavor and texture.
Zucchini plants are large and need rich soil, full sun, and plenty of space to sprawl. Plant seeds about an inch deep after all danger of frost has passed. Water them deeply and consistently, aiming for the base of the plant to avoid mildew on the leaves. Check your plants daily once they start flowering, as a small zucchini can balloon into a baseball bat-sized behemoth overnight.
Pro Tips: Harvest zucchini when they are 6-8 inches long for the best taste. Don't forget that the blossoms are also edible and considered a delicacy! They can be stuffed, fried, or chopped into salads. 'Black Beauty' is a classic, reliable variety that produces early and often.
10. Dwarf & Snow Peas (50-60 Days)
The sugary sweetness of a pea pod eaten straight from the vine is a true garden delight. While shelling peas take a bit longer, faster-growing snow peas (with their flat, edible pods) and dwarf snap pea varieties can yield a harvest in just under two months. As legumes, they also enrich the soil with nitrogen, making them a fantastic early-season crop.
Peas are a cool-weather crop that should be planted in early spring. Most varieties, even dwarf ones, benefit from some kind of support to climb on, like a small trellis or even just some twigs pushed into the soil. This keeps the vines off the ground, improving air circulation and making harvesting easier.
Pro Tips: For container gardening, look for super-compact varieties like 'Tom Thumb'. For edible pods, 'Oregon Sugar Pod II' is a fantastic and prolific snow pea. Harvest pods regularly; the more you pick, the more the plant will produce.
Your Quick-Start Garden Awaits
Gardening doesn't have to be a slow-burn hobby reserved only for the patient. By choosing the right vegetables, you can create a vibrant, productive garden that delivers delicious results in record time. Success in the garden is a powerful motivator, and a quick harvest is the best encouragement a new gardener can get. As I, Goh Ling Yong, always say, the best way to learn is by doing—and eating!
Start with just one or two of these speedy vegetables. A single pot of cut-and-come-again lettuce or a small row of radishes is enough to give you a taste of homegrown success. Before you know it, you'll be hooked, adding fresh, delicious ingredients from your own garden to your meals in less than two months.
Now it's your turn! Which of these "seed-to-supper" superstars are you most excited to try? Do you have another favorite fast-growing vegetable that didn't make the list? Share your thoughts and gardening plans in the comments below!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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