If you have a backyard garden, you know one way to help expedite the growing process is to germinate seeds before planting them in the ground. One item that can be used to germinate seeds is used paper coffee filters. Mix potting soil with used coffee grinds and refill old filters with the mixture and seeds. The filters are a great container to use: They drain well and are durable. And when it’s ready to transplant, you can put the filter, mixture and sprouted seeds right into the earth.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Tired of squirrels or raccoons raiding the bird feeder or digging through the recycling bin for food scraps? Try this simple trick: Sprinkle in red pepper flakes. Rodents hate the taste of spicy red pepper flakes and will quickly learn to avoid stealing the seed from the bird feeder, but birds can’t detect it and will eat it right up. Sprinkle red pepper flakes throughout your trash and recycling bins to deter raiding nocturnal animals from rummaging through them. While the pepper is a deterrent, it does not hurt the animals that ingest it.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

A raw potato that’s past its prime to cook can still be used as a handy cleaning ingredient in the kitchen. There’s natural acid in potatoes that’s excellent at dissolving rust naturally, so items like cast-iron pans can be cleaned up in a jiffy. Just slice the potato in half and sprinkle some salt on the cut surface, then rub away; the salt and potato acid will remove rust with just a little scrubbing. When finished, just wipe or rinse with water and dry with a clean towel.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION