When is the right time to pick blueberries?
My neighbor brought over a fresh batch of blueberries. Some are sweet and some are sour. He told us to come over and pick some whenever we wanted, but I don't know the right time to pick them so that they taste the best. Any advice?
Best Answer
In the case of most bush berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) depth of color and ease of picking are the most indicative signs of ripeness. The berries that are on the sunniest side of the bushes will ripen first. The greater more sun exposure they receive the quicker they ripen, thus the reason that a grouping of berries even in one area will ripen at different rates.
Many people say that the larger berries are sweeter but my experience is that is more anecdotal than preciese. Most fruits will be more plump with access to more water during the growing season but that doesn't necessarily make them sweeter. Grapes that have to struggle generally tend to produce better wines with more concentrated flavor because the natural sugars aren't watered down by high quantities of water.
To reiterate, look for deep dark color and ease of picking.
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What month is best to pick blueberries?
Harvest time for blueberries, which are native to North America, is from early June through early August. Blackberry harvest is from mid- June to early October. These delicious fruits offer several health benefits, and they capture the essence of summer in their sweetness.How do I know when blueberries are ripe?
Ripe blueberries are plump and deep blue with a dusting of gray on the surface. A blueberry that is firm or shows any hint of red isn't fully ripened and will likely be tart. White and green colored blueberries are not ripe, leave them on the bush or in the store as they will not ripen.What time of day is best for picking blueberries?
The best time to pick berries in the garden is in the early morning hours before heat builds up in the fruit. They are at the peak of sweetness at this time, and it doesn't hurt that this may be the coolest time of day as well.Do blueberries get more ripe after you pick them?
White and green colored blueberries will not ripen after they are picked; while blueberries that have already turned purple, red or blue-ish usually DO ripen after they are picked (if they are kept at room temperature to ripen).More answers regarding when is the right time to pick blueberries?
Answer 2
When it's plump, and happily jumps off when lightly tickled. :-)
Seriously, you can put a container under the berries and whichever ones easily fall off (with gentle encouragement) are the right ones to get. If you had to really pull them off, then they're not ready yet.
Answer 3
In my experience, if they come off the branch easily, they're good. If you have to exercise force to pick them, you're usually in for a bunch of sourness.
Answer 4
This varies significantly by state and variety:
For Louisiana, the season starts in May and goes through July
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