However, both dwarf and standard citrus trees--that should be only slightly trimmed as needed rather than pruned--may become so large and so productive that some of the fruit will certainly be wasted, regardless of how much is shared with friends and neighbors. This is now becoming apparent to those with citrus trees, as the fruit of most cultivars ripens this time of year.

Fortunately, the Valley of Heart's Delight project of the Foundation for Global Community has arranged an event that should help those with an overwhelming volume of citrus fruit and those who could actually use some of it. Village Harvest is a program that arranges for volunteers to pick superfluous fruit from trees in residential gardens for Second Harvest Food Bank. Those who have cared for the trees that grew the fruit have the benefits of eliminating extra fruit and the subsequent mess caused by rotten unused fruit, as well as retention of some of the fruit to use or share with friends and neighbors. Second Harvest Food Bank benefits from acquisition of a collectively substantial quantity of fresh fruit instead of the typical and more practical canned and packaged foods.

Village Harvest will be from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 29. Volunteer fruit pickers will meet at the Foundation for Global Community, 222 High St. in downtown Palo Alto. Volunteers with pick-up trucks that can be used for transportation of tools and fruit are also needed. More information can be obtained by contacting Susan Stansbury at 650.328.7756 ext. 626 or by email at sstansbury@globalcommunity
.org. Those who would like to volunteer their citrus trees should contact Joni Diserens at 650.740.7725 or by email at joni@villageharvest.org.

Unlike deciduous fruit trees, citrus should not be pruned in winter. Winter pruning only stimulates new growth, which is much more susceptible to frost damage. New growth that results from later pruning will emerge after the "threat of frost" and be sufficiently seasoned before next winter.

Most citrus trees fortunately never need pruning, but only light trimming as minor stems become intrusive or begin to drag on the ground. Dragging stems, which are more common among orange trees, do not actually harm citrus trees, but provide tempting access for ants that are likely to import homopteran pathogens like aphid and scale. Eureka lemon and the less common Lisbon lemon are the most likely to produce vigorous and intrusive vertical stems.

Flower of the Week: Euryops

Euryops, Euryops pectinatus, is such a resilient species that for several years, 14 specimens grew and bloomed happily in the very exposed and rarely irrigated area at the curb in front of my home. Exposure was enhanced by reflective glare from a concrete sidewalk on one side, and an asphalt street on the other. At the time, there was no shade. The soil is more than coarse; it is downright rocky. Regardless of how inhospitable I portray this particular area to be, the euryops thought of it as sunny, warm and well-drained; exactly the sort of real estate they prefer. The only disadvantage to exposure is that they may occasionally be damaged by frost.

Like other members of the family Compositae, euryops has lacy foliage that is aromatic, which is a polite way of saying that it smells bad when crushed. It is, however, only slightly aromatic. Most garden enthusiasts who grow euryops enjoy the mild fragrance anyway. The approximately 2-inch-long leaves are grayish, but the cultivar "Viridis," which has bright green foliage, is more common. Mature specimens may be as high as 5 feet and considerably wider.

Euryops is rarely without bloom, even during winter. The bright yellow, 2-inch-wide daisies are suspended above foliage by short stems. Deadheading (removal of faded flowers) enhances profusion of bloom. Overgrown specimens quickly recover from hard pruning done in mid-summer.

Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at 408.358.2574 or at LGHORTICULTURE@aol.com.