Radishes

Radishes are some of the fastest growing vegetables in the world

Grow from seed to harvest in 3 weeks

Radishes are one better-known fast-growing vegetables. These are always a golden suggestion for beginner gardeners or when gardening with children.
Radishes will guarantee a fast vegetable harvest which is always a good thing in todays immediate gratification status quo.

Some radishes may mature in as little as 3 weeks after sowing seed.

Radishes are known as a cold season crop, but in South Africa they are a fast grower no mater when you plant them and they tolerate weather in all seasons so grow them whenever you like, keep in mind though warmer weather may push radishes to flower so you want to make sure you harvest them early if you plan on growing radishes in warm weather.

Spinach

Spinach is another fast growing and quick maturing vegetable you simply must try growing from home

Grow from seed to harvest in 3 weeks

Although the well know Swiss chard is considered spinach in South Africa, I am talking about the real spinach plant known as Spinacia oleracea.

Plant spinach in spring or autumn for the best results, extreme heat will result in an unhappy plant that performs poorly and becomes vulnerable to disease and pests.

In good conditions spinach plants grow so fast you can pick leaves as baby greens from as little as 3 weeks after sowing them. Alternatively, spinach grows so fast you could harvest the entire spinach plant in 5 to 6 weeks after sowing seed.

These are mouth-wateringly flavourful wheather fresh or cooked, not to mention they are extremally healthy. 

Green Beans

Grow green beans for one of the fastest growing vegetables to plant in South Africa

Harvest about 6 to 7 weeks sowing

Most of us will remember that science or biology school project with green beans. That’s because green beans are one of the fastest growing vegetables you could grow in your garden. Beans are not only fast growers but they are fast maturing meaning your will have a lovely home grown treat in no time.

If you are looking at vegetables that grow fast and easy green beans are a must in your food garden. Bush beans or runner beans no matter what you prefer, thy both offer a number of different varieties most of which grow really fast and make a healthy tasty meal from the garden. Beans dans their pods are available in shades and colours of green, yellow, black and purple and some varieties are even speckled.

Keep sowing beans every two weeks for a constant supply and to make sure they don’t all mature for harvest at the same time. Beans can be planted and sown in spring and summer.

Bean pods are ready for harvest about 6 to 7 weeks after planting them.

I like to pick and eat fresh beans right in the garden and I always share them with my dogs or children if they are around, its so special to be able to share the garden, nature and fresh nutritious food right from my back yard.

Turnips

Like radishes turnips are also members of the mustard family making them other of the fastest growing vegetables and a fun easy vegetable to grow

Harvest Turnips 4 to 7 weeks sowing

Turnips are relatives of cabbage; this means you can eat their foliage and their roots so they are a double duty performer in the vegetable garden. The leaves are a little spicy making them a fun addition to the table.

In South Africa turnips can be planted any time of the year. For a fast-growing leafy crop plant turnip, you could also harvest the roots early if you grow them in warmer months. To grow turnips for their root harvest its best to grow them in the cooler times of the year.

Turnip foliage can be harvested as little as 4 weeks after sowing or wait just a little longer to harvest turnip roots around 6 to 7 weeks after sowing them. As Usual this depends on the variety you grow.

Salad greens

One couldn’t not mention salad leaves like lettuce and mustard greens as some of the fastest growing vegetables.

Ready to harvest around 21 days after sowing.

One of the best tips is to grow a few different varieties of leafy greens for salads. For an pretty and flavourful mixed salad grow a mixture of lettuces and mustard greens and sow new rows every few weeks for a constant supply of fast-growing fresh foliage.

These leafy greens are best sown in semi shade as severe hot weather will force them to bolt into flower and you don’t want that. When these plants shift their focus to flower production the leaves become bitter and don’t taste nearly as good.

Sow Salad greens with enough spacing between plants and thin them out after sowing to avoid attracting fungi and diseases. These fast-growing vegetables will be ready to harvest around 21 days after sowing.