How to Know When to Pick Blueberries from Your Tree

Check your blueberry plants regularly (in late spring for Highbush varieties, or early summer for Rabbiteye types) for signs of flowering followed by the formation of small, green berries growing on the stems.

Spread a mesh netting over your blueberry plants to keep birds from picking your blueberries once you've seen the green berries. This allows for the maximum amount of berries to mature and ripen.

Watch for the berries to begin to turn blue -- either medium or dark blue depending on variety -- over a period of two to three weeks. During this time, the size of the berries should also grow. Ensure your plants are receiving approximately 1 inch of water each week as the berries fill out.

Remove the netting and test the berries by holding one between your thumb and forefinger. Gently pull the berry as you roll your hand, in order to remove the berry from the stem. If the berry comes off easily and without force, then the berries are ripe for picking. Collect as many berries as you can reach that can be removed with ease. Leave behind berries that resist being picked or that are still green.

Harvest berries again in five to seven days if you're growing Highbush varieties. Wait 10 days between harvests for Rabbiteye varieties. Continue to harvest berries regularly throughout the growing season.