Top 10 Fastest-Growing Crops for Quick Farm Profits in 2025

Looking to make fast returns from your garden, homestead, or small farm? Whether you’re growing for personal income, local markets, or even restaurants, the key is finding crops that grow quickly, sell well, and fit into your space.

Here are 10 of the fastest-growing and most profitable crops you can grow right now—plus how to get the most out of them.

1. Microgreens (7–21 days)

Why grow them: Microgreens are tiny seedlings of herbs and vegetables like radish, broccoli, sunflower, or arugula. They’re rich in nutrients, packed with flavor, and in high demand from chefs, foodies, and wellness enthusiasts.

How to grow: Easy to grow indoors under lights or in greenhouses; low startup costs. Minimal space required, often harvested in trays.

Pro tip: Sell directly to restaurants or farmers markets for the best margins. Rotate trays weekly to keep cash flow moving.

2. Radishes (20–30 days)

Why grow them: Radishes are one of the quickest outdoor root crops. They're easy to grow, don’t take much space, and can be harvested multiple times per season.

Market appeal: Great for CSA boxes, farmers markets, and quick restaurant use—especially colorful or heirloom varieties like French breakfast or watermelon radish.

Pro tip: Succession plant every 10 days to ensure a steady supply.

3. Lettuce (30–60 days)

Why grow it: A consistent money-maker and a customer favorite. Leaf lettuces mature faster than head types and allow for cut-and-come-again harvesting.

Growing bonus: Can be grown hydroponically, in raised beds, or containers. Popular in every season except deep summer heat.

Pro tip: Offer different varieties (butterhead, romaine, red leaf) to add visual and nutritional value.

4. Mushrooms (3–8 weeks)

Why we love them: Mushrooms like oyster, lion’s mane, and shiitake are among the most profitable crops per square foot, especially indoors. They grow vertically, require minimal light, and can be harvested in less than two months.

Demand: Rising in culinary, health food, and wellness markets. MO’ Mushrooms customers already know about their value as food and functional supplements.

Pro tip: Use grow blocks or supplemented sawdust bags to streamline production. Add value with tinctures, powders, and pre-packed cooking kits.

5. Basil (4–6 weeks)

Why it’s hot: Basil is one of the fastest-growing and most in-demand culinary herbs. Chefs love it, and home cooks buy it fresh year-round.

Growth style: Great in pots, vertical towers, or raised beds. Can be pinched and harvested regularly throughout the season.

Pro tip: Pair basil with tomatoes or include it in herb bundles to increase per-sale value at farmers markets.

6. Garlic (~6 months)

Why grow it: Though slower than some on this list, garlic makes the cut for its high value per pound, long shelf life, and powerful appeal to gourmet cooks and wellness markets.

Bonus uses: Garlic has medicinal value and stores easily, meaning you can sell it fresh or dried over months.

Pro tip: Plant in fall for a late spring/early summer harvest. Consider growing hardneck varieties for added flavor and scapes (bonus harvest!).

7. Ginger (8–10 months)

Why it matters: Ginger is gaining popularity thanks to the wellness boom. It’s used in teas, juices, tinctures, and Asian cuisine.

Growing info: Needs warmth and time, but can be grown in containers or greenhouses—even indoors. High margins when sold fresh, especially at natural grocers.

Pro tip: Offer fresh rhizomes in small bundles or include in CSA health kits with turmeric or other anti-inflammatory herbs.

8. Saffron (fast w/ tech)

Why it’s gold: Known as the world’s most expensive spice, saffron comes from the crocus flower and sells for up to $5,000+ per pound.

Growing challenges: Labor-intensive to harvest (each flower only yields a few threads), but profitable even in small plots with new cultivation tech like indoor corm forcing.

Pro tip: Target high-end chefs, gourmet stores, or online niche markets.

9. Bamboo Shoots (8–10 weeks)

Why it’s unique: Bamboo is the fastest-growing woody plant, and young shoots are harvested as a culinary delicacy in many cultures.

Market: Fresh shoots fetch high prices in specialty markets, while mature bamboo is used for furniture, fencing, crafts, and fiber.

Pro tip: Choose clumping (non-invasive) bamboo varieties for easier management. Markets include Asian grocers and nurseries.

10. Tomatoes (60–80 days)

Why they sell: Always in demand. Tomatoes are a staple at farmers markets and CSA shares, with cherry, heirloom, and paste varieties offering great diversity and profitability.

Grow style: Can be trellised or grown in pots. Greenhouse or hoop house growing can significantly boost early-season yields.

Pro tip: Sell by variety and flavor notes. Add value with dried tomatoes, sauces, or fresh basil bundles.

Final Thoughts: Smart Farming for Fast Returns

Fast-growing crops aren’t just about speed—they’re about turnaround, market fit, and profitability. The key is mixing short-cycle winners like microgreens or mushrooms with high-margin crops like garlic, saffron, or ginger to balance your farm income.

At MO’ Mushrooms, we believe in helping small growers tap into smart, sustainable, and profitable methods—whether that’s with fungi, herbs, or unique edibles that set your farm apart.