Growing a vegetable garden is fulfilling, especially when it’s time to harvest. Some veggies can take several months before they’re ready to enjoy, but if you want to sow seeds and reap the rewards in a shorter time, plant fast-growing vegetables. There are several veggies, including leafy greens, root vegetables, and more that are ready within two months or less from seed to harvest.  You’ll be able to cook meals with the freshest ingredients available–direct from your garden.

We consulted two gardening experts about fast-growing vegetables to grow.

Arugula

Arugula is known for its peppery bite that adds a kick to salads and sandwiches. They can be ready to harvest as soon as 20-30 days, says Annette Thurmon, author of Simple Country Living and homesteader on her Azure Farm near Atlanta, Georgia. “Arugula thrives in cooler weather and can be grown in both spring and fall,” she says. “It’s a great cut-and-come-again crop, allowing you to enjoy multiple harvests from the same plant.” 

The flavor profile changes as it grows, too. “When harvested young, the leaves are mild and slightly nutty, but if it’s left to grow longer, they develop that peppery bite,” says Ashlie Thomas, food security and home gardening advocate and the author of How to Become a Gardener. She plants arugula regularly so she has a continual harvest and can snip young and mature leaves for varying flavors. “I like to stagger my plantings, harvesting some young for a more delicate flavor while letting others mature for that bold, zesty flavor that is good to add to sandwiches and salads,” says Thomas. 

• Botanical Name: Eruca vesicaria
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained soil
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0)

Beets

Beets are a root vegetable that grow quickly and you can eat the leafy greens, essentially giving you two veggies in one. “Baby beet greens can be ready to harvest in as little as 3-4 weeks, while small, tender roots are typically ready in 6-8 weeks.” You can easily grow them in limited spaces, whether you have a huge backyard or a tiny porch or balcony. “They don’t require much space and can be grown in raised beds, containers, or directly in garden rows,” says Thurmon.

• Botanical Name: Beta vulgaris
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Type: Loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0)

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are a summer crop–they thrive in the heat and need lots of sun. These take a bit longer than leafy greens, such as lettuce and spinach, to grow but provided the right conditions, such as ample sunlight, warm weather, and frequent watering, they can be ready to harvest in two months or so. “They typically take around 50 to 70 days to mature, but some smaller varieties like pickling cucumbers can be ready faster,” says Thurmon. 

If you’re limited on space, guide the vines on a pole or trellis. Not only does this require less space, but the vines will have less contact with the soil, which can help prevent fungal diseases, such as powdery mildew. Trellising can encourage better airflow around the plants, says Thurmon. Her favorite varieties to grow are Boston Pickling and Chicago Pickling.

• Botanical Name: Cucumis sativus
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Type: Rich, well-drained soil
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0)

Green Beans

Green beans–bush and pole varieties–are fun to grow for their abundant harvest. Bush beans grow in compact spaces, so they are great to grow if you have limited space, while pole beans climb and typically need a trellis. Green beans typically begin producing in 55 to 65 days,” says Thomas. “I always recommend green beans to beginners because they’re low-maintenance, highly productive, and taste incredible when picked straight from the vine,” she says. 

Want a bigger harvest? “The key to keeping green beans productive is simple: keep picking them,” says Thomas. “The more you harvest, the more the plant produces.” She says fresh-picked green beans have a crispness and sweetness that don’t compare to the ones at the grocery store. 

• Botanical Name: Phaseolus vulgaris
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Type: Loamy, well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic to neutral

Green Onions

Growing green onions or scallions are easy vegetables to grow and you’ll be reaping the rewards within a month or less. They’re ready for harvest in 3-4 weeks, says Thurmon. Green onions have narrow stems, so don’t take up much space. Grow them in containers or small garden beds, says Thurmon. 

• Botanical Name: Allium fistulosum
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained soil
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0)

Kale

Add kale to your salads, stir-fry’s, smoothies, soups, or stews. “It’s a hardy vegetable that can tolerate frost, making it an excellent choice for both spring and fall gardens,” says Thurmon. 

Mature kale leaves take around two months to grow, but you can snip baby kale leaves within a month. According to Thurmon, “Baby kale leaves can be harvested in just 25 days, while full-sized leaves take about 50 to 60 days.”Her favorite varieties include Nero Di Toscana and Blue Curled Scotch.

• Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea 
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Type: Rich, well-drained soil
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.5)

Lettuce

If you love eating big, hearty salads, grow lettuce in the spring and fall. This cool weather, leafy green grows quickly, so you can harvest the leaves in a month or so. “Lettuce is a wonderful fast-growing vegetable due to its shallow root system and short growth cycle,” says Thurmon. The type of lettuce influences how quickly it can be harvested. “Leaf varieties like romaine or butterhead are quicker to mature than head lettuce, making them ideal for quick harvests,” says Thurmon. 

Want to have a continual harvest so you can help yourself whenever you need some lettuce? Then plant seeds often. “It’s perfect for succession planting—sowing seeds every couple of weeks—to have a continuous supply of fresh greens,” says Thurmon. “You can also harvest lettuce leaves individually as needed, allowing for continuous harvests throughout the growing season from the same plant.” 

• Botanical Name: Lactuca sativa
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained soil
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0)

Okra

A Southern staple vegetable, okra is easy to grow and thrives in warm and hot weather. You can begin harvesting within two months after sowing the seeds. “In about 50 to 60 days, it starts producing tender pods, and as long as you keep harvesting, it will keep growing strong throughout the summer,” says Thomas. 

Plant okra in an area that receives lots of sunlight for a productive and healthy plant. “I always tell people that if you have a sunny spot with well-draining soil, okra will be the gift that keeps on giving in the summer,” she says. Timing is key for having a delicious and successful okra harvest. “If you let those pods sit for even a day or two too long, they’ll go from tender and crisp to tough and fibrous,” Thomas adds. 

• Botanical Name: Abelmoschus esculentus
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Well-draining, rich
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic (5.8-6.5)

Peas

Peas are an easy and fun vegetable that can be planted when the weather begins to warm up. “Peas are a fast-growing, cool-weather vegetable that can be ready to harvest in as little as 60 days—making them one of the first crops you can plant in spring,” says Thurmon. Choose from snap, snow, or shelling peas, she says. 

• Botanical Name: Pisum sativum
• Sun Exposure:  Full sun
• Soil Type: Well-drained, fertile soil
• Soil pH: Neutral to slightly acidic (6.0-7.5)

Radishes

Radishes, small round spheres and sometimes oblong-shaped, prefer cooler weather and are grown in the fall and spring. Sowing seeds to harvest is typically within a month or less, say experts. “If you’re an impatient gardener like most of us sometimes, radishes provide that instant gratification,” says Thomas. “I still get a kick out of pulling up a fully formed radish just weeks after planting the seeds.”

Make sure to plant them in loose soil and water consistently to help them grow quickly and avoid becoming too spicy, says Thurmon. Her favorite varieties include Purple Plum and French Breakfast. 

• Botanical Name: Raphanus sativus.
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Type: Loose, well-drained soil
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to Neutral (6.0-7.0)

Spinach

Spinach is a nutrient-rich, leafy green that thrives in cooler weather. Spring and fall are ideal growing times and it’s usually ready to harvest in under two months. “With the right conditions, you can have a lush harvest ready to pick in about 45 days,” says Thomas. Temperature variation can affect how spinach grows. “It loves cool weather, but the moment temperatures rise too high, it bolts almost overnight, ” she says. Thomas plans ahead and does succession planting so she has a steady supply. 

• Botanical Name: Spinacia oleracea
• Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial sun
• Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy, moist
• Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline (6.5-8.0)

Turnips

Turnips, like beets, are a vegetable where you can eat the root and the greens, and are grown in spring and fall. “Both the roots and greens are edible, and this makes them a fantastic choice for gardeners looking to maximize their yields,” says Thomas. Greens can typically be harvested within a month, while turnips take closer to two months. “The greens can typically be harvested a bit earlier, sometimes within 25 to 30 days, while the roots take about 50 days to mature,” she says. 

Another advantage to growing these fast-growing vegetables is that they’re easy to grow. “Turnips are also incredibly resilient, tolerating a variety of soil conditions and thriving in cooler temperatures,” says Thomas. 

• Botanical Name: Brassica rapa subsp. rapa
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic to Neutral (6.0-7.5)