Pickling Garden

A pickling garden supplies crunchy vegetables and classic seasonings for refrigerator pickles and canning recipes. It is especially satisfying because many crops produce heavily during summer.

What to grow in a Pickling Garden

How to design it

Plant in full sun with loose, fertile soil and dependable access to water. Train cucumbers on a trellis along the north side, then grow beans nearby on supports or in rows. Place dill where its height will not shade carrots, radishes, beets, onions, or peppers.

Care through the season

Keep cucumber and bean soil consistently moist to prevent bitter fruit and uneven growth. Add compost before planting and feed cucumbers and peppers lightly once they begin producing. Sow radishes in repeated small batches, and plant a second cucumber crop in midsummer where the season is long enough.

Tips

Pick cucumbers when firm and before they become oversized, checking vines every day or two. Harvest dill heads when the seed clusters are full but still green. Use tested recipes and proper processing methods for shelf-stable canned pickles.

General planning ideas for US home gardens; adjust plant choices to your climate, space, and local frost dates. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.