My children and I went blueberry picking the other day. The farm was organic, free of pesticides. Well the lady at the farm told us not to bother washing them, just throw them in the freezer. Well, I washed them anyhow. While they were draining I noticed little creepy crawlers making their way out of the berries, they were full of worms. I threw them all out, not to mention the fact that I ate a few before my discovery. I didn't know blueberries could have worms. Now I'm all freaked out about other berries. Are tomatoes safe from these little critters getting inside? I'm new at all this and I'm a little discoraged about fruit now. Do all blueberries have worms? What do you all think?

-- Carolyn (sweetbabydill@aol.com), July 05, 2001

Answers

I would have taken them back to the farm for a full refund - which also lets them know they have a major problem.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), July 06, 2001.

What did the worms look like, earth type, what. I have a blueberry u- pick and I check each bush 2 or 3 times a week in off season (I love them) and every day while picking time is going on. I have never seen worms, I see some bugs but not much. I too am organic and will try to stay but if an army of worms was eating away my bushes and would save the bushes and forego the organic. Good Luck so far. Noe I fo keep the area very cleaned and clearned and still go over each plant. Before putting them to bed for the year and when waking them up I take soil samples, there is alot of work to organic but covered with worms, yeaks.

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), July 06, 2001.

Yuck. I just picked blueberries last week and put them in the freezer without washing them so I don't know if mine had worms or not. Guess I will be eating some additional protein if they did. Although, since they are dead, if I have worms, I don't really mind if I eat them. It's eating the live ones that would bother me. I have never run into a problem with worms in the blueberries before. You may want to contact the grower and let them know they have worms and ask them what they are. I am going to be planting blueberry bushes myself this year because I love having them and will want to make sure we don't end up with worms in them.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), July 06, 2001.

Carolyn, how long did they sit out before you did them up? Perhaps some little creature laid eggs and what you were seeing was the little wormey larva coming out?? I have raised and picked blueberries organic for years and never had worms in the berries.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), July 06, 2001.

I agree with Diane, mine are organic and haven't seen worms on them. You would see them while picking (Iwould think).

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), July 07, 2001.

Thanks for all your answers. I don't know what type of worms they are. They are to big to be maggots (yuck), but are about half an inch long. They are kinda pinkish or fleshy colored. I did not see them on the bushes, and they looked healthy enough. I also did not let them set a long time before washing either. They had to be inside the blueberries. Athough they looked healthy before washing them. I just didn't take any chances and threw them all out. Before this experience I had thought about planting bushes myself. But how hard is it to keep pesty critters off if your growing organic? Thanks again folks.

-- Carolyn (sweetbabydill@aol.com), July 07, 2001.

Call your extension officer and ask what he thinks, this is spooky "inside of the blueberries". I know I don't have any worms inside of mine because I have eaten enough off the bushes to know but when you do find out PLEASE LET ME KNOW. Raising blueberries for possible income, this makes me nervous and we do learn something knew everyday. Or Should! Thanks, Debbie

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), July 07, 2001.