Chicago Pickling
Chicago Pickling is a heirloom cucumber variety (Cucumis sativus 'Chicago Pickling'). Harvest begins around day 58-65; seed germinates in 7-10 days. Set plants 12-18 inches apart. Grow in soil pH 6.0-7.0, zones 2-11, full sun (6+ hours). Plants reach 8-18 inches. It will crop in a container.

Sowing
Direct seed after soil reaches 65°F, or start indoors 2-3 weeks before transplanting. Plant 1/2 inch deep.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- 1-2 inches per week, consistent moisture
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile loam with good organic matter
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 12-18 inches
- Height
- 8-18 inches
- Season
- Warm season
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Medium green with light striping and black spines
- Size
- 3-6 inches long depending on harvest time
- Shape
- Blocky, slightly tapered with moderately bumpy skin
- Flavour
- Crisp and mild with excellent texture for pickling
In the kitchen
Pickling (all types), fresh eating when young, relishes, fermented pickles
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Cucumber beetles, aphids, squash vine borers
- Diseases
- Powdery mildew, downy mildew, cucumber mosaic virus, anthracnose
- Resistance
- Good tolerance to scab and moderate resistance to bacterial wilt
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | May – June | July | July – August | September |
| 3 | May | June – July | June – August | September – October |
| 4 | April – May | June | June – July | August – October |
| 5 | April | May – June | May – July | August – September |
| 6 | April | May – June | May – July | August – September |
| 7 | March – April | May | May – June | July – September |
| 8 | March | April – May | April – June | July – August |
| 9 | February | March – April | March – May | June – July |
| 10 | January – February | March | March – April | May – July |
| 11 | January | February | February – March | April – June |
| 12 | January | February | February – March | April – June |
| 13 | January | February | February – March | April – June |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 10
- Protein (g)
- 0.59
- Fat (g)
- 0.16
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 2.16
- Fibre (g)
- 0.7
- Sugars (g)
- 1.38
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 4
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 3.2
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.03
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 7.2
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.051
- Folate (µg)
- 14
- Calcium (mg)
- 14
- Iron (mg)
- 0.22
- Magnesium (mg)
- 12
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 21
- Potassium (mg)
- 136
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.17
- Selenium (µg)
- 0.1
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Chicago Pickling?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other cucumbers with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Chicago Pickling suits these too.
- Japanese Climbing 58 days
- Straight Eight 58 days
- Marketmore 76 58 days
- Diva 58 days
- Salad Bush 57 days
- Poona Kheera 60 days