10 Tips to Grow Plants and Trees Faster

If you are looking for plants and trees that can grow faster, choose specimens that are known to be fast-growers. Here are some great examples:

Fastest Growing Trees:

1. Hybrid Poplar (Populus spp.): Hybrid poplar trees are known for their rapid growth and can reach impressive heights in a short period. They are often used for timber, windbreaks, and erosion control.
2. Willow (Salix spp.): Willows are fast-growing trees that thrive in moist environments. They have a high growth rate and can quickly establish themselves along riverbanks and wetland areas.
3. Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum): Silver maple trees are popular for their rapid growth and can add several feet of height per year. They are commonly planted as shade trees.
4. Empress Tree (Paulownia tomentosa): The Empress tree has incredibly fast growth rate, especially during its early years. It produces large, attractive leaves and beautiful purple flowers.
5. Leyland Cypress (× Cuprocyparis leylandii): Leyland cypress is a popular choice for privacy hedges due to its rapid growth rate and dense foliage. It can quickly form a tall and thick screen.

Fastest Growing Plants:

1. Bamboo (Bambusoideae): Certain bamboo species, such as Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), are renowned for their rapid growth. They can shoot up several feet per year, depending on the conditions.
2. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus): Sunflowers are annual plants that can grow rapidly under favorable conditions. They are known for their tall stems and large, vibrant flowers.
3. Nasturtium (Tropaeolum spp.): Nasturtiums are fast-growing annual flowering plants that produce colorful blooms. They are commonly used as ground covers or in hanging baskets.
4. Morning Glory (Ipomoea spp.): Morning glories are climbing vines that can grow quickly and cover trellises or fences with their beautiful, trumpet-shaped flowers.
5. Marigold (Tagetes spp.): Marigolds are fast-growing annual flowers that are easy to cultivate and produce vibrant blooms. They are often used for decorative purposes and as companion plants in gardens.

Here are 8 Secret Master Gardener’s Tips to Get the Most Colorful and Vibrant Flowers

2. Go for Vigorous Vines

You can pick some varieties of vines to cover arbors, bare walls, and new fences that can grow fast, too. Choose from any annuals that can grow from seeds like gourds, morning glory, cypress vine, Dutchman’s pipe, moonflower, and hyacinth bean.

Also, you can decide among some of the fast-growing perennial types such as sweet autumn clematis, five-leaf akebia, trumpet vine, silver lace vine, cross vine, and coral vine (Antigonon), Wisteria, Boston ivy, honeysuckle, and climbing roses.

Pro Tip: It is best to always combine two or more different vines on one particular support. It is acceptable horticultural and also makes the space look more attractive.

Here are Stunning Shrubs that Climb like a Vine

3. Use Mycorrhizal Fungi

Mycorrhizal fungi form a symbiotic relationship with plant roots, enhancing nutrient uptake and promoting faster growth.

Mycorrhizal fungi have fine, thread-like structures called hyphae that extend into the soil. These hyphae effectively explore a larger soil volume, accessing nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, and micronutrients that may be otherwise unavailable to the plant. The fungi absorb these nutrients and transfer them to the plant’s roots, enhancing its nutrient uptake.

How to Use?

• Follow the instructions provided with the mycorrhizal product. It usually comes in the form of a powder or granules. Sprinkle or mix the mycorrhizal fungi with the soil around the roots of the tree or plant.

1. Ensure that the fungi are in close proximity to the roots by properly incorporating them into the planting hole or surrounding soil.
2. After planting and applying the mycorrhizal fungi, water the tree or plant thoroughly. Adequate moisture helps establish the symbiosis between the fungi and the roots.
3. Provide the trees or plants with the necessary conditions for growth, including appropriate sunlight, water, and nutrients. Mycorrhizal fungi enhance nutrient uptake, so it’s essential to ensure a well-balanced nutrient supply.

4. Employ Companion Planting

Companion planting involves strategically placing plants together to benefit each other. Some plants naturally enhance growth by providing shade, repelling pests, or enriching the soil. Research companion planting combinations that are beneficial for your specific plants.

Here are 14 Companion Planting Combination Ideas

5. Implement Vertical Gardening

Vertical gardening maximizes space and sunlight exposure. By growing plants on trellises, walls, or vertical structures, you can increase planting density and promote faster growth.

Here are Urban Vertical Gardening Ideas For Small Spaces

6. Try Hydroponics or Aeroponics

Hydroponics and aeroponics are soil-less cultivation methods that provide plants with a nutrient-rich solution or mist. These methods allow for faster growth as plants receive nutrients directly without competition from soil microbes.

Check out our article on homemade hydroponic systems here

7. Apply Seaweed Extract

Seaweed extract is rich in trace minerals, growth hormones, and beneficial microorganisms, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, trace minerals (such as iron, manganese, zinc, and copper), and natural plant growth hormones like auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellins. These nutrients are readily available for plants, promoting healthy growth and development.

How to Use?

• Foliar Spray: Dilute the seaweed extract according to the instructions provided on the product label. Typically, a ratio of 1:20 (1 part seaweed extract to 20 parts water) is recommended. Use a spray bottle or sprayer to evenly apply the diluted solution to the leaves, ensuring thorough coverage. Foliar spraying is most effective during early morning or late afternoon when the plant’s stomata are open.
• Soil Drench: Mix the seaweed extract with water according to the recommended ratio, usually 1:50 (1 part seaweed extract to 50 parts water). Slowly pour the diluted solution around the base of the plant, allowing it to soak into the soil. This method ensures that the plant’s roots come into direct contact with the seaweed extract, facilitating nutrient absorption.

8. Utilize Organic Compost Tea

Compost tea is a liquid fertilizer made from steeping compost in water. It contains beneficial microorganisms and nutrients that can be absorbed by plants quickly, promoting rapid growth.

How to Use?

• Ensure that the compost is mature, well-rotted, and free from pathogens or weed seeds. You can use homemade compost or purchase it from a trusted source.
• Add a generous amount of compost to the water, using a ratio of around 1 part compost to 4-5 parts water.
• To enhance the growth of beneficial microorganisms, provide aeration to the compost tea solution. You can use an aquarium air pump with an air stone or simply stir the mixture vigorously. Aeration helps increase oxygen levels and promotes the growth of aerobic beneficial bacteria and fungi.
• Allow the compost tea solution to steep for 24 to 48 hours. During this time, the beneficial microorganisms will multiply and release nutrients into the water.
• Dilute the compost tea with water in a 1:10  ratio (1 part compost tea to 10 parts water). Apply the diluted compost tea to the plant’s root zone using a watering can or a sprayer.

Know what things you can’t compost here

9. Implement Fish Emulsion

Fish emulsion is a natural fertilizer made from decomposed fish. It is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and trace minerals, providing a nutrient boost to plants and promoting faster growth.

How to Use?

• Follow the instructions on the product label for the recommended dilution ratio. It is usually around 1 tablespoon of fish emulsion per gallon of water.
• Pour or spray the diluted fish emulsion onto the soil around the base of the plants or trees.
• Apply fish emulsion every 2-4 weeks during the growing season. Adjust the application schedule based on the plant’s growth and response.
• As an alternative to applying fish emulsion to the soil, you can also use it as a foliar spray. Dilute the fish emulsion according to the product instructions and spray it onto the leaves of the plants. This allows leaves to absorb nutrients easily.

10. Keep them in a Slightly Root Bound State

Keeping the plant or tree in a slightly root bound state implies the fact that you need to be careful while choosing a container, IF you plant to grow them in pots.

Excessively large pot will create a problem of water-logging, creating root rot issues, which will hamper the growth. To keep these issues in check, it is always a good idea to select a pot that’s exactly the size of the root ball or max, one to two sizes bigger than it.

• A properly sized pot provides ample room for the roots to grow and expand. Sufficient root space allows for the development of a healthy and robust root system, promoting faster plant growth.
• When a plant has adequate space for its roots in a well-sized pot, it can access a larger volume of soil or growing medium. This increased soil volume provides a greater nutrient reservoir, allowing the plant to extract essential elements for speedy growth.
• In a pot with the correct size, there is less competition for resources such as water, nutrients, and light. When a plant is overcrowded in a small pot, the roots may become entangled and compete for limited resources, which can slow down growth. With a well-sized pot, each plant has enough space to access the necessary resources independently, promoting faster growth rates.