Radishes are the fastest fall vegetables you can grow. They mature in just 20-30 days. Baby lettuce follows close at 21 days. Arugula needs about 30 days. Spinach takes around 37 days to reach your plate.
I tested quick growing fall crops over five seasons in my garden. My strategy works great. I plant in waves every 7-10 days. This gives you fresh greens from September through November. Miss a planting window? Don't worry. Another batch goes in the next week.
When I first tried succession planting, I made a rookie mistake. I planted all my lettuce at once. Every head matured the same week. I couldn't eat it fast enough. Half of it bolted before I could harvest. Now you'll see me in the garden every weekend with fresh seeds.
Cool weather does great things for these crops. They grow faster and tastier when temps drop. Hot summer weather makes your lettuce bitter. It bolts your spinach to seed. Fall's cooler soil and air let these plants build leaves instead of flowers.
My go-to varieties have proven themselves through years of testing. Cherry Belle radishes hit harvest at 25 days with perfect round roots. Buttercrunch lettuce gives you tender heads in three weeks. Pick it young for baby greens. Bloomsdale spinach handles frost better than anything else I grow.
Radishes
- Harvest time: Ready in just 20-30 days from seed. This makes them your fastest option for fall gardens.
- Best types: Cherry Belle matures at 25 days. French Breakfast takes 28 days and gives you longer roots.
- Growing tips: Plant your seeds half inch deep in loose soil. Keep moist for even root growth.
Baby Lettuce
- Harvest time: Cut your baby leaves in just 21 days. Wait 45 days if you want full heads instead.
- Best types: Mesclun mixes give you variety. Buttercrunch offers sweet leaves that handle light frost.
- Growing tips: Scatter your seeds over soil. Cover with quarter inch of fine compost for best results.
Arugula
- Harvest time: Peppery leaves ready in 30 days. You can keep cutting for weeks after that first pick.
- Best types: Astro matures fastest. Sylvetta handles hard frosts better and tastes stronger.
- Growing tips: Sow thick for baby greens. Thin to 6 inches apart if you want larger leaves.
Spinach
- Harvest time: Takes 37-45 days but produces longest into winter. Survives down to 20°F (-6°C).
- Best types: Bloomsdale Long Standing resists bolting. Tyee fights disease for cleaner harvests.
- Growing tips: Soak your seeds overnight before planting. Spinach sprouts slow in warm soil.
Your soil temps matter more than air temps for these crops. Seeds sprout best when soil stays between 40°F and 75°F (4°C to 24°C). Hot soil above 80°F (27°C) stops lettuce from sprouting. Grab a soil thermometer before you plant.
Keep your soil moist but not soggy. Fall rain helps a lot. Dry spells need daily watering for seeds. Once your plants get going, water deep twice a week. This stops radish cracks and bitter lettuce. Your plants will thank you with faster growth.
You can grow fast maturing vegetables on your table in three weeks. Start with radishes for that quick win. Add lettuce for salad greens. Toss in some arugula for a peppery kick. Finish with spinach for harvests that last into winter. Your fall garden will keep you eating fresh until snow flies.
Read the full article: Fall Vegetable Garden: Best Crops to Plant
