Blueberry Picking Season by State: 2026 Dates and Peak Times
Wondering when to go blueberry picking? Here are the open dates, peak weeks, and end dates for u-pick blueberry season in every state.
Last updated: June 2026
Blueberry season doesn't happen all at once. It starts down in Florida in March and works its way north through the summer, finishing up in Maine and the Pacific Northwest around September. Most states in between get a few good weeks of picking somewhere along the way.
This page lists when u-pick farms usually open in each state, along with the weeks when the berries taste best. Find your state in the tables below, click through, and you can see the blueberry farms we have listed near you.
The Short Answer
Here's the short version, region by region:
- Florida and the Deep South: March through May
- The South and Gulf Coast: May through July
- California and the West Coast: April through July
- Mid-Atlantic and Midwest: June through August
- Pacific Northwest: late June through September
- Northeast, New England, and Maine: July through September
One thing before you lean on these dates: they shift every year. A hot spring brings the berries on early. A cool one holds them back. Any single farm only picks for about 3 to 6 weeks, and a good field can get picked clean on a busy weekend. Check the farm's Facebook page the day before you head out.
Blueberry Season in the South and Southeast
The South gets first crack at blueberries every year. Florida farms open in March, while bushes up north are still bare. Many southern growers plant rabbiteye blueberries, which take the heat well and ripen later, so you can still be out picking down here well into July.
| State | Typical Season | Peak Picking |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | March to May | April |
| Georgia | Late March to July | May to June |
| South Carolina | Mid May to July | June |
| North Carolina | Mid May to July | June |
| Alabama | May to July | June |
| Mississippi | May to July | June |
| Louisiana | May to July | June |
| Texas | May to June | Late May to June |
| Arkansas | Late May to July | June |
| Tennessee | June to mid July | Late June |
| Oklahoma | Late May to early July | June |
Blueberry Season on the West Coast
The West Coast runs long. California berries show up early in spring, and then Oregon and Washington take over. Those two states grow some of the best blueberries anywhere, and their cool, damp summers stretch picking all the way into September.
| State | Typical Season | Peak Picking |
|---|---|---|
| California | April to July | May to June |
| Oregon | Late June to September | July to August |
| Washington | July to September | Mid July to August |
Blueberry Season in the Southwest and Mountain States
Blueberries are tough to grow out here. They need acidic soil and a lot of water, and the dry Mountain West is short on both. So you will find fewer u-pick farms, and the ones that do exist usually sit at higher elevation, where the season starts late and wraps up fast.
| State | Typical Season | Peak Picking |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | April to June | May |
| New Mexico | June to July | June |
| Nevada | June to July | Late June |
| Utah | June to August | July |
| Colorado | July to August | July |
| Idaho | July to September | August |
| Montana | July to September | August |
| Wyoming | July to August | Late July |
Blueberry Season in the Midwest
July is when the Midwest gets going. Michigan grows more blueberries than any other state, and its west-side farms keep picking into September. Farther south in the region, you can usually start a couple of weeks sooner, around late June.
| State | Typical Season | Peak Picking |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas | June to July | Late June |
| Missouri | June to July | Late June to early July |
| Kentucky | June to July | Late June |
| Illinois | Late June to early August | July |
| Indiana | Late June to August | July |
| Ohio | July to August | July |
| Nebraska | July to August | July |
| Iowa | July to August | Mid July |
| Michigan | Early July to September | Mid July to August |
| Wisconsin | Mid July to September | Late July to August |
| Minnesota | July to September | Late July to August |
| South Dakota | July to August | Late July |
| North Dakota | Late July to August | August |
Blueberry Season in the Mid-Atlantic
The Mid-Atlantic picks mostly in July and into August. New Jersey is the big name here. The blueberry is its official state fruit, and farms are packed in tight, so there's a good chance a u-pick spot is closer than you'd guess.
| State | Typical Season | Peak Picking |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | June to August | July |
| Maryland | Late June to August | July |
| Delaware | Late June to August | July |
| West Virginia | July to August | July |
| New Jersey | Mid June to mid August | July |
| Pennsylvania | July to August | July |
Blueberry Season in the Northeast and New England
New England is last to the party. Picking runs through July and August, and the northern states keep going into September. Some farms grow the tall planted bushes you would expect, while others let you pick the small wild berries that spread low across the ground.
| State | Typical Season | Peak Picking |
|---|---|---|
| New York | July to August | Late July |
| Connecticut | July to August | Late July to early August |
| Rhode Island | July to August | Late July to August |
| Massachusetts | July to September | Late July to August |
| Vermont | Mid July to September | August |
| New Hampshire | Mid July to September | August |
| Maine | Late July to mid September | August |
Blueberry Season in Alaska and Hawaii
These two don't follow the usual map, but you can still pick in both if you time it right. Alaska is covered in wild blueberries that ripen in the long days of late summer. Hawaii grows them up in its cooler highlands, like upcountry Maui.
| State | Typical Season | Peak Picking |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Late July to September (wild berries) | August |
| Hawaii | Spring to summer (higher elevations) | Varies by farm |
Both states have very few u-pick farms, so always call ahead before you make the trip.
Why These Dates Move Around
A few things push these dates around from one year and one farm to the next:
Weather. Berries ripen on heat, not the calendar. A warm spell speeds them up. A late frost can knock the early crop back by weeks.
Different varieties. Plenty of farms plant early, mid, and late bushes on purpose, so the fruit comes in waves. That's why one farm down the road can open two weeks before another.
Highbush or rabbiteye. In the South, rabbiteye is king, and it ripens later than the highbush type grown up north. That is what carries the southern season into July.
The crowds. A busy weekend can strip a field bare. The farm then closes for a few days to let more fruit ripen, which is exactly why those daily updates matter.
There's also a north-south gap inside most states. The southern end ripens first. If nothing near you is open yet, look an hour or two south. Those farms have probably already started.
Ready to Pick?
Find a farm you like and keep an eye on its page as opening day gets close. Our directory has pick-your-own blueberry farms all over the country, with phone numbers and links, so you can check on the berries before making the drive.
Find blueberry farms near you →
Blueberry Season FAQ
How long does blueberry picking season last?
Any one farm picks for roughly 3 to 6 weeks. The country as a whole runs much longer than that. Florida gets going in March, and Maine and the Pacific Northwest are still picking in September.
What month is best for blueberry picking?
That comes down to your location. Florida peaks in April. The wider South is best in May and June. For most of the rest of the country, including the Midwest, the Northeast, Michigan, and the Pacific Northwest, July is the top month.
Why do farms in the same state open at different times?
It comes down to local weather, how high up a farm sits, and which blueberry varieties it grows. As a rule, farms in the southern half of a state open about one to three weeks ahead of farms farther north.
What is the difference between highbush and rabbiteye blueberries?
Highbush is the more common type and does well in cooler, northern areas. Rabbiteye handles southern heat and ripens later in the summer. Both are great to pick. Because rabbiteye comes in late, those farms often stay open into July.
Do blueberries keep ripening after you pick them?
They do not. A blueberry stops getting sweeter the moment you pull it off the bush. So grab only the berries that are blue all over with a soft, dusty coating, and leave behind any that still show red or green.
What time of day is best to pick blueberries?
Go in the morning if you can. The berries are still cool and firm, the rows are freshly picked over, and the crowds are thin. On a busy weekend, the best fruit can be gone by lunchtime.