This season promises to be a good one for fruit trees across Maine. Whether you harvest your own trees or visit orchards, the timing of harvest and how you store them can make a big difference in the flavor and texture of the fruit. Here are some things to keep in mind as you plan to enjoy summer and fall fruit.

Fruit becomes mealy when an enzyme breaks down the fruit tissue. Different types of fruit trees are more prone to mealy, so this is partly out of your control. To avoid mealyness, pick most of the fruit before it is fully ripe. With stone fruit, you can also leave a few on the branch if you like the taste of tree-ripened fruit, says Renae Moran, a professor of pomology at the University of Maine.

Peaches

Depending on the location, peaches and other stone fruits such as plums, apricots and cherries are ripe now or will be soon. When the skin turns from green to yellow and feels mostly firm, they are ready to harvest.