Picture yourself strolling into your garden on a warm afternoon and snatching ripe, succulent fruits from your own yard, no store run required. While fruit trees are usually equated with years of tending and waiting before any payoff, there are some fruits that grow quickly enough to be devoured in just one growing season.
Whether you're a novice gardener or a long-time green thumb, there are quick-producing fruits that can thrive with minimal sun, water, and forethought. With ideal conditions and timing, you can be picking strawberries, melons, and berries within several months making your summer both fruitful and tasty. Here's a step-by-step guide to six fast-growing fruits that you can plant today and enjoy by the end of the season.
From strawberries to watermelons: Fast-growing fruits that will ripen just in time for summer
1. Strawberries
Strawberries are among the quickest fruit plants to bear produce, often within 60 to 90 days after planting. These low-maintenance, compact plants can be grown in raised beds, containers, or hanging baskets, making them perfect even for small-space gardeners.
Growing conditions:
- Light: Full sun (6–8 hours daily)
- Fruit-Bearing Time: 60 to 90 days
- USDA Zones: 3–9
- Soil: Well-draining, organic matter rich
- Spacing: 12 to 18 inches apart
Pro-tip
- Opt for everbearing or day-neutral types if you desire continual picks during the summer.
2. Raspberries
Although historically slower, fall-bearing types of raspberries (primocanes) can crop in their first growing season if planted early enough or as established canes.
Growing conditions:
- Light: Full sun
- Fruit-Bearing Time: 1st year for primocanes, 2nd year for summer-bearing
- Soil: Slightly acidic, well-draining
- Height: Up to 6 feet
Container friendly?
- Yes, dwarf varieties do well in big pots.
3. Blackberries
Primocane blackberries are a good option for early harvests, which can produce fruit in their first year. These perennially hardy plants come back stronger year after year and can be trellised for vertical gardening.
Growing conditions:
- Light: Full sun
- Fruit-Bearing Time: 1–2 years (some fruit in year one)
- Soil: Well-draining, slightly acidic
- Support Needed: Optional (for trailing types)
4. Watermelon
Watermelons, though frequently observed rolling over great expanses of land, can be successfully cultivated in home gardens where space is abundant. The trick lies in sowing directly in warm ground after the final frost and providing steady watering.
Growing conditions:
- Light: Full sun
- Fruit-Bearing Time: 70 to 100 days
- Soil: Loamy, well-drained
- Spacing: 6 feet apart in all directions
Harvest tip:
- Knock on the melon, if it sounds hollow and the underside is yellow, it's ready to pick.
5. Honeydew
Honeydews are quick-producing melons with a sweet, crunchy flavor and rich vitamin C and potassium content. Under ideal soil and watering conditions, they come to maturity in around 75 to 90 days.
Growing conditions:
- Light: Full sun (partial shade in warm weather)
- Fruit-Bearing Time: 75 to 90 days
- Soil: Sandy loam, well-draining
- Spacing: 2 to 3 feet between plants
Start indoors?
- Yes, sow seeds indoors 6–8 weeks prior to the final frost for an early start.
6. Cantaloupe
Cantaloupes have a growth rate similar to honeydews but are more ideal for vertical gardening if space is confined. They mature in 80 to 90 days and provide growers with sweet-smelling, orange-fleshed fruit.
Growth conditions:
- Light: Full sun
- Fruit-Bearing Time: 80 to 90 days
- Soil: Sandy, well-drained
- Support: Train using a trellis or cage
Tips on how to maximise your fruit harvest
- Soil Testing: Get a pH and nutrient test done on your soil before planting.
- Mulching: Retains moisture in the soil and keeps weeds under check.
- Pollination: Plant flowers around to attract bees.
- Watering: Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, particularly when it is flowering or fruiting.
