[JohnB47]

Hi.

I suspect the answer is to just keep trying one and see how it tastes but it's always worth asking.

One of my blueberry plants ( Duke) now has quite a few blue berries but they're not as dark as ones my daughter bought at the supermarket (bluetta?). I tried comparing them a few days ago and the bluetta was far sweeter than my Duke, which tasted fairly mild and had a sort of green flavour.

Is there a way to know when they're ready. I also have a Chandler but they're ripening more slowly (which is great - giving me a spread-out picking season).

Thanks .

[Trillium]

When the 'dusty bloom' covering the berries is gone and the fruit are fairly shiny and blue (no green at all) is when they're usually ready.
Also, be aware that some varieties just aren't as sweet as others. I specifically selected all of mine for sweetness (have a big sweet tooth  :happy:)

[JayG]

Although they all pretty much set at the same time they seem to ripen at different rates; in my case each berry would have been at peak ripeness about a day after a very persistent blackbird kept finding a way into the netting and saved me the trouble of picking!

This year they are so well protected even I can't get inside! 

[8doubles]

a very persistent blackbird kept finding a way into the netting and saved me the trouble of picking!

Same here, i was lucky to get a dozen and the blackbird got the rest.

I have to buy a blueberry muffin now and while the chickens get the occasional crumb the blackbird gets none.

[JohnB47]

Thanks everyone.

Trillium - what would you say are the sweetest variety? I'm planning to get one more - I've read that Herbert is a good one for flavour.

I have another blueberry 'problem' now but I'll put that on a seperate thread.

Cheers.

[Trillium]

Here's a chart with just a few common varieties, most of which I'm sure you can get in the UK:

http://www.fallcreeknursery.com/Nursery/VarietyChart/

Hardyblue is the sweetest of them all, followed closely by Northland, Bluecrop, Blueray, Earliblue, North Country and Chippewa (half high) - all of which I have  :happy:

Herbert is in the 2nd category - sweet rather than very sweet.

http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pd_9014.html

[JohnB47]

Thanks for that.

Interesting chart. Interesting way of describing the taste too. Many are 'sweet', 'mildly sweet', 'tangy sweet', then all of a sudden you get Chandler, which I have, described as 'excellent'.

Of course sweetness isn't everything. I would rather have a tomato, for instance, that had a good balance between sweetness and acidity, rather than too much of either.

I might try for a Hardyblue next - can't see it listed anywhere in the UK but I think the availability will improve come Autumn.

Thanks again.

[Babstreefern]

I would gently squeeze them, if they are soft, they're ready to pluck

[SG6]

When the blackbirds have eaten them all then they were ripe.