When is blueberry picking season? Plus how to pick the sweetest berries

When is blueberry season where you live?

Mississippi State Extension lists southern highbush from mid April to early June and rabbiteye from mid May to late July in Mississippi. N.C. Extension notes rabbiteyes in the Piedmont start late June and run into August. Northern highbush in Michigan, New Jersey and the Northwest are mostly summer.

How can you tell if a blueberry is ripe?

Fully blue with a dusty bloom and no red near the stem. Cup a cluster and rub gently with your thumb: ripe berries drop, unripe ones hang on.

How do you keep blueberries fresh?

Keep them dry and cool, refrigerate unwashed and wash before eating. N.C. Extension says refrigerated berries can last up to two weeks; they also freeze well.

Where can you pick blueberries?

• Lyon’s Blueberry and Pumpkin Farm, Creedmoor, NC
• Cedar Grove Blueberry Farm, Woodlawn, NC
• Abshier Blueberry Farm, Belleview, FL
• Adkins Blueberry Farm LLC, Eugene, OR
• Alexander's Wild Maine Blueberries, Milford, ME
• All About The Blueberry Farm, Plant City, FL
• Aunt Zelma's Blueberries, Island Grove, FL
• Belle Jolie Blueberry Farm, La Center, WA
• Berkey's Blueberries, Lebanon, OR
• Bill's Berry Farm, Grandview, WA
• Billy Boy's Blueberry Barn, Michigan City, IN
• Black River Blues Blueberry Farm, Rochester, WA

More on the berry farms hub. A waist picking bucket keeps both hands free.

Quick questions

When is blueberry season?

Late spring in the Deep South and roughly June to August in most other states.

How long after blueberries turn blue are they ripe?

Flavor peaks about 5 to 7 days after they turn blue, per Mississippi State Extension.

Sources

• Mississippi State Extension: blueberries, harvest and post-harvest
• N.C. Cooperative Extension: blueberry season
• University of Minnesota Extension: growing blueberries

General guidance, not advice for a specific farm. Farm rules, prices and dates vary, so check with the farm.