Banishing Life’s Little Annoyances By Ashley Tate

Weeds

You yanked them all out just last week, and new ones have already popped up. “Be sure to pull existing weeds out at the roots, instead of breaking them off at the soil’s surface,” says Eric Darden, horticulture manager for the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, in Orlando, Florida. “And always remove them before they flower. Otherwise the flowers will release seeds and you’ll end up with even more weeds.” Once the bed is cleared, put down a two- to three-inch layer of any type of mulch. “Mulch blocks sunlight, so any remaining weed seeds can’t germinate,” says Darden. It also keeps soil moist, so your flowers will thrive.

Spinach in Teeth

Get creative, say Gregg Kavet and Andy Robin, former writer-producers of Seinfeld and coauthors of Saving Face (Simon Spotlight Entertainment, $15, amazon.com). Fake a cough and turn away, or pretend to drop something under the table so you can scrape your teeth. No toothpick? Try an earring post, or use a piece of thread as dental floss.