For the best results they need to be pickled ASAP - pick and then pickle - fresh as the recipes say.

You can store them in a ziplock bag in the vegetable bin for a couple of days if you must but beyond that they begin to break down and the quality of the pickles falls off rapidly. That is why we picklers plant so many plants - to have enough to do batch pickling. ;)

Dave

Great responses. Helpful. We see an expansion in our garden next year as we're trying to pickle with just three or four plants.

I only have 1 plant of pickling cukes and i seem to be lucky enough to get about 3 good sized ones at a time in about 1 week intervals. this is enough to do 2 one-quart jars at a time. i fortunately have a recipe scaled down to fit that.

I must be the exception. i have two plants, and get about 20 at one time over 6 weeks or so. Also, I've been successful in keeping them for a week at a time in a cool, dry, darker area in my pantry. Then can on the weekend together. Never had wilting or bitter pickles... I make mostly bread and butter, but have done kosher dill as well. Both are crisp.

Wow! 20 at a time off just 2 plants! What specific variety are you growing? I'll have to try those. Are you hand pollinating them? I can get 20 at a time off of 5 plants but with just 2 plants I'd have to be storing them too long.

I don't have a problem with wilting or bitterness - that is just good watering practices - but getting the right degree of crispness can be a real challenge. But then I don't really expect B&B pickles to be all that crisp either.

Dave

Supergumby, would you share your recipe?