If you have trouble getting your plants to produce beans, plant three or four sweet pea plants ( Lathyrus odorata ) in the same container or area. When the sweet peas flower, they encourage bees to pollinate the runner bean flowers, too.

—The Busy Person's Guide
to the 20 Minute Garden

Planting bulbs? The general rule of thumb (green thumb, that is), is to set bulbs three times as deep as they are tall. If you have a one-inch tall bulb, bury the bulb with its tip three inches below the surface.

January 2001 - The Green Thumb

Plant potatoes in a garbage bag (or trash can). Poke a couple of holes in the bottom of the bag (or can) and dump in several inches of good rich soil. Plant cut-up potatoes (~1½ inch square) that have at least two ‘eyes' in the soil. As the potatoes sprout and grow add more soil to just below the leaves. Water but not too much. Potatoes like loose, sandy, fast-draining soil. For early potatoes, dig potatoes when tops begin to flower, dig mature potatoes when tops die down.

January 2000 - The Green Thumb

To use poinsettia stems as a cut flower, dip the stems in water after cutting to wash off any residue of milky sap. That will keep the vase water from turning cloudy.

—Sunset's Western Garden Annual