If you’re anything like me, patience probably isn’t your strongest attribute… especially when it comes to gardening. I know, I know. there is something deeply satisfying about it sowing seeds and watch them grow – but wait months for a harvest? Sometimes it feels impossible.
The good news is, if you time things right (and depending on your USDA Planting Zone), April it’s the perfect time to plant a handful of fast-growing ones vegetables that will reward you in just a few weeks.
Yes, whether you work with raised beds, containersor a small garden border, there is much you can grow now and enjoy before summer even begins. The key is choosing the right varieties. Well, with that in mind…
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7 Quick Vegetables to Sow in April
As the soil begins to warm and the daylight hours lengthen, it’s time to turn your attention to the quiet performance of your vegetable patch.
While crops like tomatoes and peppers need a longer growing season, leafy greens and fast-rooting vegetables can be ready to harvest in as little as three to four weeks. And for gardeners in USDA Zones 5-9, that means planting in April can actually result in a harvest by May or early June. (In cooler areas, you may be looking at slightly later harvests, while warmer zones may see results even earlier).
If you’re looking for great homegrown flavor in no time (or as close to it as possible), then these are the vegetables to sow now.
1. Rocket
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Ready in 20-30 days, rocket it is one of the fastest crops you can grow. Even better? You can start cutting baby leaves from these salad peppers in just a few weeks, and it will continue to produce if you harvest regularly. Get yourself a pack arugula seedsthen, and take seed.
2. Lettuce
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History buffs will already know that Catherine of Aragon made the salad fashionable after she married Henry VIII and had specialist gardeners grow lettuce for her. A bit strange. Loose leaf lettuce varieties are ideal for impatient gardeners (and queens) as they can be ready in between 25-45 days. Instead of waiting for full heads, you can harvest young leaves early and often. Essay Burpee Buttercrunch Lettuce Seeds and see for yourself.
3. Radish
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If you want almost instant results, radishes they are hard to beat. They germinate quickly and are ready to pull in less than a month. With so many radish varieties available, why not mix things up and buy one yourself Colorful Radish Seed Packet Collection so you can try six different salad vegetables and find your favorite?
4. Spinach
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Spinach has always been a little kid for green vegetables, hasn’t it? Whether you make it into smoothies, wilt it into sauces or eat it raw like Popeye the Sailor Man himself, spinach thrives in the cool conditions of early spring. Harvest the leaves while they are young and tender for the best flavor (they should be ready in less than 45 days). Try it out Burpee Double Choice Hybrid Spinach Seeds if you want them ready even faster.
5. Green onions
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Also known as onionsgreen onions are great low-maintenance filler crops. You can start cutting the green tops early or let them grow for a fuller harvest. Either way, they’ll be out of the ground and on your table somewhere between 30 and 60 days after planting. Get a package Onion seeds and take seed, stat.
6. Sugar Snap Peas
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Okay, we admit it: these are a little slower than leafy greens. Yet, peas they’re still a great early-season crop, especially if you don’t have the patience for anything too time-consuming. Plant them in April and you’ll likely be harvesting crisp, sweet pods by early summer. Essay Sugar Daddy Snap Pea Seeds just for the name!
7. Baby Kale
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Cabbage it may have a reputation as a slow grower, but harvested young, it’s surprisingly fast. Baby leaves are tender, mild and perfect for salads and only take about 24-40 days to reach their peak flavor. Well worth the price of a pack cabbage seeds, right;
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When aiming for a quick recovery, be sure to sow in warm soil where possible, water consistently and harvest little and often to encourage plants to keep producing. And, failing all of the above, why not create one container garden full of herbs?
Honestly, whichever route you take, these fast-growing vegetables prove that you don’t need a huge garden to enjoy homegrown produce…nor a little patience. All you need is the right crops and the will to get stuck in this April.
If you put in the work now, you’ll find yourself bringing plenty of fresh aroma into your kitchen much sooner than you dreamed.
