Fast-Growing Seeds for Impatient Gardeners: Flowers, Trees, Grasses & Vegetables

For gardeners who want quick results, fast-germinating seeds can transform a bare patch into a vibrant garden in weeks. Success depends on matching seeds to your climate, season, and site conditions.

Quick-Blooming Flowers

Calendula (Pot Marigold)

Deep orange to pale yellow blooms from early summer to frost. Compact, self-seeding, 20 inches tall. Germinates in 5–15 days. Cool-season plant; start indoors 7 weeks before last frost, then transplant. Full sun.

California Poppy

Vibrant, long-lasting colors on 12–16 inch self-seeding plants. Tolerates poor soil, prefers direct sowing (taproot resents disturbance). Sow early spring in cool soil; germinates in 10–15 days. Full sun.

Snapdragon

Fragrant spikes in oranges, reds, pastels. 1–3 feet tall, self-seeding annuals. Cool-season lovers; start indoors 8 weeks before frost ends. Germinates in 10–20 days. Well-drained soil essential.

Morning Glory

Vining climbers to 15 feet with purple, red, pink, blue blooms. Soak seeds in warm water for best germination (5–21 days). Full sun, moist soil, provide support.

Fast-Growing Trees

Weeping Willow

Germinates in 10–15 days; grows 8–10 feet per year. Slender branches, golden autumn foliage, attractive winter bark. Thrives in moist or dry soils, often near water.

Silver Maple

Germination varies (15 days–2 months); grows up to 3 feet annually. Silvery leaf undersides turn orange-red/gold in fall.

Eucalyptus

Can exceed 50 feet if unpruned. Germinates in ~2 weeks (temperature-dependent). Adaptable to various soils.

Rapid-Cover Grasses

Perennial Ryegrass

Fine-textured, deep green. Germinates in 1–2 weeks in cool climates; struggles in extreme heat/cold.

Kentucky Bluegrass

Bluish-green, germinates in 10–22 days. Ideal at 60°F; cool-climate specialist.

Tall Fescue

Low-maintenance, shade-tolerant, drought-resistant. Establishes in ~2 weeks.

Bermuda Grass

Warm- or cold-climate adaptable. Germinates in ~21 days. Widely used for lawns, sports fields, golf courses.

Speedy Vegetables

Edible Amaranth

Harvest in 30–40 days in warm conditions (>20°C). Tender leaves/stems cook like spinach; great in soups and stir-fries.

Grand Duke Kohlrabi

Hybrid white kohlrabi, matures in ~50 days. Sprouts in 5–7 days even in cold soil. Cook grated, sliced, or peeled like turnips.

Mino Early (Japanese Daikon Radish)

Summer-planted, matures in ~40 days. Pure white, tapered roots 18–24 inches long.

Seeds for Science Projects

Alfalfa, broccoli, and sunflower seeds germinate quickly on moist paper towels—ideal for demonstrating light/water effects on germination.