If you want an all-natural (and very effective) way to prevent invasive insects from killing your flowers, trees, bushes and vegetable garden this spring, look no further than neem oil. This botanical-based oil has a strong, pungent smell and repels insects, but also controls fungi and mites. It’s safe for birds and does not kill beneficial insects. You can find a large bottle of neem oil at your local home improvement store; just unscrew the cap and attach a spray nozzle, then spray away to protect your lovely garden the organic way.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

An easy way to gift-wrap something is to use old newspaper. But when you’re done wrapping a gift, the ink from the newsprint can easily transfer to hands and cause a mess. To prevent ink from transferring, all you have to do is give your perfectly presentable newspaper-wrapped gift a light coating of hair spray. The hair spray dries to a shellacklike finish, and when the recipient unwraps the gift, not only are their hands ink-free, but the paper is still recyclable.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Ever toss some lemons, limes or sliced strawberries into a water bottle or pitcher to infuse your drink with a hint of fruit flavor? It is a favorite way to get more H2O into your diet, but it also can be a health risk. All fruit has a tiny bit of natural bacteria on it, and the sugar in fruit can speed up bacterial growth in water. This is especially true when the water is left at room temperature. You have about four hours to drink fruit-infused water before it needs to be replaced. And always wash all fruits before you slice them up and drop them into water.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION