10 Fast-Growing Vegetables for a Late Summer Harvest (2024)

If you think you’ve missed the window to start a garden this year, we've got good news: It’s not too late to start now. “Some vegetables may be ready in as little as four weeks for a delicious harvest,” said Hallee Acquanita, an at-home gardener and registered dietician and nutritionist. “The beauty of growing your own food is that there are different seasons where a variety of plants will thrive, and there are even advantages to starting a garden in late summer.”

If you're a little behind on getting your garden going this season, try these 10 fast-growing vegetables that you can still plant and harvest before summer's end.

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Radishes

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Radishes are a beautiful and healthy addition to salads for a light crunch. Plus the colorful varieties such as watermelon and purple daikon offer a variety of antioxidants to help decrease inflammation and prevent disease, said Acquanita. Radishes will be ready in three to eight weeks.

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Cucumbers

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The salad staples can be harvested in seven to eight weeks and the veggie’s cool vibe screams summer. “They tend to grow quickly and are an excellent beginner vegetable,” Acquanita said. “Cucumbers can be eaten fresh on their own, in salads, on a sandwich or can be made into your own variety of pickles.” Extra pickings can be made into cucumber salad for backyard cook-outs and summer picnics.

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Arugula

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A twist on familiar lettuce options, arugula makes a great base for salads or goes well in a tasty, summer wrap, said Acquanita. Add some ripe cherry tomatoes , drizzle with balsamic vinagrette, add a grilled protein and dinner is served. “Leafy greens are especially good sources of Vitamin K and folate, which helps to produce healthy blood cells and prevent anemias,” she added. This health-packed star will be ready to harvest in four to eight weeks.

Green Beans

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A staple that the whole family will eat can be grown in five to eight weeks. “Green beans are very versatile and go well in soups, salads, or as a side dish,” said Acquanita. With your extras, share with your neighbors and spread the veggie love.

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Kale

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Kale is the gold standard of nutrition because it boasts vitamins A, B6, C, K, folate, fiber, carotenoids and manganese. ‘Kale is ready to be picked in about four weeks and can continually beharvested as they grow,” said Acquanita. Swap kale for your iceberg lettuce and add the green to soups for more color, flavor and a nutrition boost.

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Zucchini

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Zucchini can be harvested in around five weeks, and this vegetable can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in stir-fries, as a side dish, or in soups, indicated Acquantita. Another way to savor the harvest is to bake zucchini bread, which can also be frozen for later enjoyment.

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Tomatoes

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Sally McCabe, associate director of community education with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in Philadelphia said if you can find early bearing varieties of tomatoes you can plant them until mid-July. “Plant in full sun,” she recommended. “And, keep the soil moist until germination; then water regularly.” Tomatoes are a summer staple ideal for salads, soups, and sauces.

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Okra

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You may not think of okra as a go-to garden veggie, but the unique flavor is ideal for stir-fries, stews and side dishes. “Okra prefers warm weather, full sun and well-drained soil,” explained McCabe. “Seeds can be planted outdoors about a ½ inch deep, and soil should be kept moist until the seeds germinate in approximately seven to ten days from the time they’re planted.” She said to aim to space seeds 6-8 inches apart in rows 2-3 feet apart.

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Swiss chard

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Swiss chard grows fast, and generally is ready to harvest in four to six weeks you plant it. “I love having lots of mixed greens for summer salads and stir fries and Swiss chard is both edible and ornamental,” said Tara Nolan, co-owner of Savvy Gardening and author of Gardening Your Front Yard and Raised Bed Revolution who is based in Dundas, Ontario, Canada. “Sow Swiss chard seeds about a half an inch deep and about four to six inches apart,” Nolan suggested. “I love the peppermint and rainbow varieties.”

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Carrots

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Nolan said it’s fun to grow a rainbow of carrots, from white and orange to bright purple. “Carrot seeds can be direct-sown about a quarter to a half inch deep,” she said. Space seeds a third to a half inch apart, she noted. Depending on the variety you choose, you should be harvesting fresh carrots around 10 to 16 weeks after sowing, according to Gardener’s World.