THINK OF WEEDING AS MIND THERAPY.

Byline: JANE GATES Gardening

SANTA CLARITA - Weed, weed and weed some more.

The weeds are germinating after this extremely dry winter. There is an abundance of seeds deposited from the splendid wildflower show of last year and they are taking advantage of the short downpours followed by weeks of unseasonable heat.

These weeds will compete for nutrients and water with the plants you have planted in your garden. Many will become food and homes for pests, which will start munching on your garden when the hot summer dries out the weeds. If you let them, most weeds will reach maturity and set more seeds for next year. All will dry out into fuel for wildfires as the season proceeds.

You can let weeds grow and take your chances - wait and spend lots of energy later yanking out their fully developed roots - or you can get out there regularly and hoe and pull the little seedlings before the task becomes too daunting. I vote for the last option. And I have wild hillsides to deal with, so I known it's no mean task.

If you do a little bit at a time, you'll find the job is not so overwhelming. In fact, weeding can be therapeutic. If you choose a convenient time of the day, wear comfortable clothes and make it a workout/meditation period rather than a ``have-to'' chore, weeding can be a mind-clearing, body-stretching activity. Just make sure you don't forget to wear gloves so your hands will be worse for wear later.

Even if it is warm, I prefer wearing a light, long-sleeved top and long pants. There are a lot of ``no-see-'ems'' that like to hide in brush and weeds. In spring, they hatch out and are hungry. Unless you are immune to insect bites, I recommend keeping a little fabric between your skin and their voracious appetites.

Remember, a weed is simply a plant growing where you don't want it. There are some naturally growing plants in this area that can flower nicely without becoming pests. I selectively spare these when weeding - so larger areas retain the most attractive vegetation to hold soil, minimize dust and add interest without my having to plant and water everywhere.

Because of fire resistance concerts, I prefer lower-growing plants. Rabbit brush blooms are brilliant yellow and the plant seems to accept my light pruning whenever it tries to grow any higher than 2 feet. I do the same for the feathery artemisia. Wild salvias can also remain on my hillside, though some of them also need to be kept shorter than is their habit.

I tear out the foxtails, to protect my pets and other wildlife, but many of the other grasses I allow to stay. California poppies are always welcome, and I usually add a few seeds of my own to help them along. Look up your local weeds in wildflower books and see if there are any you might want to let stay and work for you. That should reduce a little of the weeding challenge at this time of year.