There are no rabbiteye late season blueberries and only a few half-high types that ripen later in the midseason, such as "Northsky" and "Northblue." Remove all the ripe berries from the bush and then move on to the next. If blueberries are picked early, you still may be able to ripen them. Set dry, washed blueberries on the waxed paper. Unlike some fruits, blueberries will not ripen after you pick them, so you must wait until the berries fully ripen before harvesting. If the blueberries have green or red near the stem end, do not pick them yet. She has written professionally for six years since then. This video video is full of tips on how to ripen, freeze store and use blueberries. The ideal pH for blueberries is down around 4.5 to 5 – very acidic. "Pink Lemonade" is one of a few mid-to-late Southern highbush cultivars. Once the bush is four to eight years old it will produce 2–7kg of fruit. In fact, you can have one cluster containing both green and ripe fruit. Ripe berries should easliy fall off the bush when picked. Avoid blueberries that look soft or shriveled or have any signs of mold. Blueberry bushes have pointed, oblong leaves that are leathery to the touch, turning a brilliant red in the fall. Blueberries keep well, and pre-picked fruit can store up to two weeks under cold storage conditions of 33° to 35°F and 85 percent humidity. Here’s how: Place completely dry berries on a rimmed baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap or foil. You won't be able to duplicate that abundance in your own garden, but you can get more berries by planting at least two, if not three ripening types. Reddish blueberries aren’t ripe, and won’t ripen once they are picked but you can use them in cooking. Cover baking sheets with waxed paper. Both Northern highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) and hybrid Southern highbush blueberries (Vaccinium darrowii x Vaccinium corymbosum) ripen earlier than the rabbiteye blueberry varieties (Vaccinium ashei), which grow in USDA zones 7 through 9. So blueberries have evolved to require chilling periods; that is, a certain amount of time at winter temperatures below 45 degrees F. (7 C.). Instead, place them in an open container. Over time, the berries will start to develop freezer burn and the texture of the berries may start to change. However, blueberries that were picked when they were already blue or purple will continue to ripen even after picking. One of the best things about summer is the abundance of fresh berries at the market. Cup your hand under the blueberry cluster. What Time of the Year Can You Pick Blueberries? Line blueberries on a cookie sheet, and put the cookie sheet in a freezer until the berries are frozen. Apples give off a natural etheylene gas that ripens other fruits quickly. Place in the freezer overnight. Blueberries ripen after picking, provided they’re picked at the right time. Finally, take out the baking sheets and remove blueberries into freezer bags. Freezing unwashed blueberries may help their skins soft, notes PennState Extension. Stick baking sheets in the freezer for a few hours or until completely frozen. Ripening picked berries does not make the blueberries sweeter. Lundman received her M.A. Some stems might remain attached to the berries. For example, highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8, but Mark Gaskell, a Farm Advisor with the University of California Cooperative Extension, found that bushes in the California Central Coast ripened on April 6 in 2000 while the bushes further inland began ripening on May 6. 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