Growing your own food is incrediblyrewarding, but it's not always clear how soon you can expect to startharvesting. Choose seeds from some of the fastest growing greens and foods soyou can start eating delicious greens and veggies as soon as possible!
Some general tips:
You can harvest the “baby” forms of mostleafy greens within 2-3 weeks. Just be sure to leave a few plants to grow totheir full size, so you can enjoy a bigger harvest later!
Since you'll be harvesting these cropsyoung, you only need shallow containers with drainage holes. Seed-startingtrays are ideal, but even clean takeout containers (with holes poked in thebottom for drainage) will do the trick. If you're planting outside and haveraised beds, take advantage of their earlier soil warmth.
You may have success indoors if you have asunny location that gets at least four hours of sunlight for pea shoots, sixhours of sun for microgreens, and up to twelve hours of light for lettuce. Forbest results use a grow light — it will give you a consistent light source andbetter results.
Most greens are cold-hardy and can beplanted outdoors 2-6 weeks before the last spring frost. Be prepared with aprotective cover, such as a cloche or row cover fabric, in case of a cold snap.The cover’s added warmth will speed up germination too!