Home Grown Blueberries: Tips for Picking and Cooking Fresh Blueberries

Blueberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow in a home garden. Plant several rows of blueberry bushes or just one or two in a container on the patio, then enjoy the fruits of your labor with these tips for picking and cooking fresh blueberries.

Blueberry Picking Tips

Blueberries should be picked when they are dry. If there is dew or rain on the fresh blueberries, they will soft and not last as long after picking. Pick only the deep blue berries for best flavor.

If you have a large blueberry patch, make a hands-free picking bucket from an old plastic ice cream container and string (twine or yarn). Punch a hole or each side of the plastic ice cream container near the top. Cut a three foot length of string (twine or yarn) and thread it through the holes in the bucket to create a long loop and tie one end securely. Hold the other loose end of string and slip it over your head with the ice cream container hanging down in front of you. Position the container at a comfortable picking height and tie the other end of the string to create the hands-free picking bucket.

Birds-Be-Gone

Birds love to eat fresh ripe blueberries as much as we do. Keep the birds shooed away (and garden looking nice) with wind socks. Buy the most elaborate wind socks you can find, with streamers, pinwheels and what-not on the ends. Hang two wind socks in the garden area near the blueberry bushes, one at each end of the garden, to discourage birds from feasting on ripening fruit.

Blueberry Cooking Tips

Before adding fresh blueberries to any batter, gently toss them with flour. This will prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the baking pan.

Freeze fresh blueberries in recipe-sized portions; if your favorite blueberry muffin recipe calls for two cups of blueberries, premature two cups of fresh blueberries into a 1-quart Ziploc freezer bag and freeze.

Use that favorite blueberry muffin recipe to bake a loaf of blueberry bread. Usually the only adjustment needed is a longer baking time.

Blueberry muffins or bread make a delicious dessert when topped with ice cream or whipped cream.

Make a blueberry milkshake by combining two scoops of vanilla ice cream, one cup of milk and a handful of fresh blueberries in a blender and processing until smooth and creamy.