Blueberries are the ultimate summer treat—not only are they incredibly tasty, but they’re also packed with health benefits. One pro tip to keep in mind: you’ve got to wait until they are fully ripe to pick them. Unlike some other fruits, blueberries won’t continue to ripen once you’ve plucked them from the bush.
Harvesting Wild vs. Garden Blueberries
There’s nothing like a walk through the cool woods in mid-summer to beat the heat, but there’s another reason to head into the forest: wild blueberries! Starting in early July, these little gems are ready for the taking, so it’s always a good idea to keep a container in your backpack. Their harvest window is a bit shorter than the varieties you’d grow in your backyard, so don’t wait too long to go foraging.
A quick safety note: never eat wild berries straight off the bush without washing them thoroughly first. This helps protect you from parasites like fox tapeworm. This rule applies even if you’re planning on canning them or making jam. A good, deep rinse is all it takes to enjoy your harvest worry-free!
If you’re growing garden blueberries (cultivated varieties), they usually start ripening in early July as well. The cool thing about these bushes is that the fruit doesn’t all ripen at once. You can often keep harvesting through August and even into September, depending on which specific variety you have planted.
How to Tell When They’re Perfectly Ripe
Since blueberries ripen in stages, you’ll see a mix of ripe and unripe berries on the same cluster. Luckily, telling them apart is pretty easy. Ripe blueberries are deep blue all the way around and look nice and plump. When you go to pick them, they should pop off with just a tiny bit of resistance. If you have to tug, they aren’t ready yet! Unreife berries are smaller, still have some green or red tints, and cling tightly to the stem.
Fun fact: unlike their wild cousins, most garden blueberries actually have white or light-colored flesh inside. This means you won’t end up with those classic “blueberry stained” purple hands after a day of picking!
Just remember that these berries are delicate. To keep them fresh for as long as possible, try not to squash them. I recommend bringing a few shallow bowls or containers with you. The fewer berries you stack on top of each other, the less likely they are to get bruised or crushed. Happy picking!
