THREE SISTERS

[3forfree]

I planted three mounds of 'three sisters' this year and as things started to grow, everything looked real good. Then the winter squash took over. These things are as big as my pumpkin plants, and sprawling just as long. I can't believe how big these plants have gotten. They're supposed to be a ground cover between the mounds, and now they're covering half the garden. I'm ready to get the hoe's out and start cutting.

 

[lazy gardener]

That was the problem I had. The squash and beans took over. The corn never had a bit of a chance. I think that when the native Americans did it, they grew a bean that was not as vigorous in it's runner growth, their corn was a taller flint or dent corn, and the entire crop was designed to be harvested all at once at the end of the growing season. Not like us folks who want succulent sweet corn, tender green beans, and the squash crop as well.

One thing that you could try, that might make the concept work, is to grow bush beans, with a hill or row of corn in between the rows of beans, and then plant your squash where ever it makes the most sense, but provide a rigid trellis for it to climb so it doesn't tear down the corn. There are also beans that are described as "half runner". As the name implies, they don't grow as long as a pole bean, but taller than a bush bean.

 

[3forfree]

Next year I will try the sisters again but will put cucumbers between the mounds they aren't taking up as much room

 

[3forfree]

Here's a pic of my garden, in the front are pumpkin plants and in the back you can see some of the corn stalks and the winter squash surrounding them.

 

[lazy gardener]

That sounds like a great idea, but you might still want to give them a pole to climb, since they'll climb the corn as soon as they reach it. Keep us posted. Perhaps we need to start a 3 sisters thread, so folks can show pics of how well it is/isn't working and share what varieties they've used. or perhaps a companion planting thread.


DUH! My bad. I didn't even read the thread name.

 

[3forfree]

I planted the pole beans when the corn was about 4in tall, and they have started. another part of the garden I planted the same beans, and they have grown to about 7ft. I put up a fence before they started then had to add to it as they got taller. Not sure about a three sisters thread. Don't hear about anyone growing them to often. we'll see.

 

[LindaB220]

Here's a pic of my garden, in the front are pumpkin plants and in the back you can see some of the corn stalks and the winter squash surrounding them.

Maybe if you waited until the corn is about 1' tall before planting the other. Not much of a gardener so I think your garden looks delightful.

 

[lazy gardener]

In many areas, if you waited that long for the corn, you'd get no harvest of the other sisters.

 

[3forfree]

here's a pic of the same beans I planted in another garden a few weeks ago

 

[LindaB220]

In many areas, if you waited that long for the corn, you'd get no harvest of the other sisters.

Sorry, I forgot. I'm in zone 8b