Early Sowings for Early Harvests

Are you eager to leap into spring with early harvests of homegrown vegetables? You’re in luck! Lots of quick-growing crops will deliver prompt harvests if you know which varieties to plant and when to plant them. Read on to find a list of crops to try, as well as information on starting early, getting plants to grow faster, and cultivating more crops in small spaces.

Vegetable Crops for Fast Returns

Ready in 30 to 35 days are baby kale, baby mustard greens, radishes, spinach, chard, salad greens (lettuce, chicory), arugula, and winter purslane. Beet greens from thinnings can be cooked and eaten like spinach. Spinach itself is good for salads or cooking. (But be aware that the fastest-growing, biggest spinach may not last long once the weather warms up!) I’ve found that ‘Acadia’ and ‘Reflect’ spinaches have good bolt-resistance from outdoor spring sowings.

Many Asian greens are ready in : bok choy, tatsoi, komatsuna, mizuna, ‘Maruba Santoh,’ ‘Senposai,’ ‘Tokyo Bekana,’ and ‘Yukina Savoy.’ Most reach baby salad size in 21 days, and full size in 40 days. Transplant 4 to 5 weeks after spring sowing, or direct-sow. Asian greens are