Recipe(tried): Storing Cucumbers

The fresher the better for crisp pickles. Just out of the garden is best. I don't know what kind of pickles you are making. I would keep them in the fridge no more than 2-3 days, but you may not have the pickles turn out as crisp.

Adding Pickle Crisp by Ball to the jars if making fresh pack pickles will help. Also, soaking them in icewater can help, too. (I use the recipe from Heinz for dill pickles. You can do a search here in the search box and find the recipe, plus other ones, too.)

Alum will actually make them softer in the jars. Alum only works if you are making fermented pickles.