Grow your own refrigerator pickles: plants for refrigerator pickles all season
No canning. One jar in the fridge, ready in a day.
For a family of 4 making refrigerator pickles every 2 weeks in season (5 times a year), grow:
| Crop | Amount | Plants | Bed sq ft | Yield assumption | Seeds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickling cucumber | 2.9 lb | 1 (1 to 2) | 2 | 12 lb per 10 ft of row at 3 to 4 plants, so about 3.5 lb per plant. Trellised. | Shop Seeds Now |
| Dill | 2 oz | 1 | 0.5 | About 0.15 lb of fronds and flower heads per plant. | Shop Seeds Now |
| Garlic | 2 oz | 1 | 0.5 | 4 lb per 10 ft of row, about one bulb (0.15 lb) per clove planted. Plant in fall. | Shop Seeds Now |
| Total | 3 | ||||
Garden ingredients per recipe (1 quart jar)
- 1 lb pickling cucumber
- 2 heads dill
- 2 cloves garlic
From the pantry
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 tablespoon salt
Pack spears with dill and garlic, pour over brine, chill 24 hours. Keeps about a month.
Change household size or combine dishes in the Plate to Plot tool
Sources and assumptions
Amounts include 15 percent extra for culls, pests, and kitchen trim. Plant counts use the typical yield; the range uses the high and low yields. Bed space assumes intensive beds at recommended spacing. Yields vary with variety, weather, and soil.
- Kansas State University Research and Extension, MF315 Vegetable Garden Planting Guide (average crop per 10 feet of row)
- University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Planting Chart for the Home Vegetable Garden
- Clemson HGIC, How Much to Grow: Planning for Year-Round Garden Productivity
- ThriveThyme estimate from typical harvests (no single extension table lists this crop per plant)
- National Center for Home Food Preservation (USDA tested canning and pickling recipes)
Guides and tools
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