THREE SISTERS

[lazy gardener]

Nice. YOu clearly have much more land available than I do!

 

[Arielle]

Here's my 3 sisters this year thus far

Certainly far different that what I have envisoned what a 3 sisters p lot would look like. My corn rows are closer, and as I was planting, wondered about pollination as the rows are MUCH wider than the package instructions. SInce you have planted like this before Im guessing the corn gets pollinated ok, or do you lend a hand??

 

[Arielle]

Nice. YOu clearly have much more land available than I do!

LG, I dont have a lot of land for planting, so growing corn has been low on the list as it takes a lot of space for a few ears. Last year I tried a new area but the surrounding treees blocked too much of the sunlight. After about 6 inches, everything quit. THis year I am trying 2 sisters to start and might get some beans in to. Perhaps the beans help with stabilizing the corn stalks . . . .??

I also realized I have a few critters that will eat the green stalks like the over grown grass it is.

 

[Fluffnpuff]

Certainly far different that what I have envisoned what a 3 sisters p lot would look like. My corn rows are closer, and as I was planting, wondered about pollination as the rows are MUCH wider than the package instructions. SInce you have planted like this before Im guessing the corn gets pollinated ok, or do you lend a hand??

I've planted in this layout for years and never had pollination problems. Earlier in the thread I have pics from last years 3 sisters garden. Anyway, I've never had a lack of corn pollination but we always have periodic bouts of high wind at my location so maybe it might not work as well in areas without that.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I had noticed that you have had many years of success with this layout, just wasnt sure why. Bet those winds are the answer. Looks like I might just need to brush up on corn pollination!!

 

[Chipper Chicken]

This is my Blue Hopi a couple weeks ago. I didn't have time to use the black plastic to preheat the soil this year to 70* but we've had an unusually warm spring so it worked out. The ground was 68 degrees F when I planted. I was going to plant scarlet runner beans and some heirloom melons in with it in next week or two. We don't have much wind next to this big blue spruce, so I do plant real close, and since I plan to harvest all at once I'm not worried about not being able to get between the rows. I'll probably only plant around the N,S,W edges as the corn will shade everything soon. Don't think raccoons like spruce either :/

Edited to add I thinned corn to 2-3 stalks from the multiples that came up. It came up much better than I expected.

 

[Chipper Chicken]

Here's my 3 sisters this year thus far

I am amazed at how tall the left rows of corn are! When did you plant? I cannot plant before late May early June where I live Did you stay with your tried and trues this year? Looks absolutely great!

 

[Fluffnpuff]

I am amazed at how tall the left rows of corn are! When did you plant? I cannot plant before late May early June where I live

Did you stay with your tried and trues this year? Looks absolutely great!

I planted all the corn within 3 days of each other. The reason the ones on the far left are bigger is because they are Cherokee flour corn with is supposed to get 15 ft tall. I planted my corn around may 6th. Normally you need to wait until may 14 at my location to plant corn but the 10 day weather forecast at that time had all the nights around 50 degrees so I planted early and gambled I wouldn't have frostbite.

I planted blue hopi as well though not in my 3 sisters plot. I ran out of room in it and had to do the rest of the corn elsewhere.


I didn't completely go with the "tried and true" this year. Earlier in the year I had a friend give me a bunch of corn seed as a birthday present so I planted them to not come off as ungratefull. The varieties I have planted this year are Cherokee flour, blue hopi, hookers sweet blue, jerico twin, candy corn, allure corn, honey and cream, luscious corn, and serendipity. I'm aware the modern hybrids won't get as tall as what I normally plant but to compensate I picked out pole beans that don't get very big such as Cherokee cornfield bean, trail of tears bean, ect.

 

[Chipper Chicken]

Those varieties all sounds delicious! And the May 6th planting explains a lot! I would love to try some of those, especially the sweet blue, but I'm trying to keep the seed pure for saving/replanting and I'm still not comfortable putting that many varieties close together. If I can get another spot or two into production.......and more time...
Thank you for reposting the recipe. I'm going to try making the aioli again, now I've got all the seed planted I can try cooking some of what's left. I planted my saved seed from the improved golden bantam and all the painted mountain I could find on those tiny little stalks. I put the painted mountain where the bantam was last year so it has better soil, I'm told it's sprouted
this is my bantam as of a couple weeks ago as well....

 

[Arielle]

This is my Blue Hopi a couple weeks ago. I didn't have time to use the black plastic to preheat the soil this year to 70* but we've had an unusually warm spring so it worked out. The ground was 68 degrees F when I planted. I was going to plant scarlet runner beans and some heirloom melons in with it in next week or two. We don't have much wind next to this big blue spruce, so I do plant real close, and since I plan to harvest all at once I'm not worried about not being able to get between the rows. I'll probably only plant around the N,S,W edges as the corn will shade everything soon. Don't think raccoons like spruce either

Edited to add I thinned corn to 2-3 stalks from the multiples that came up. It came up much better than I expected.

I am laughing at my self.

Looked at this p hoto 2-3-4 times and saw lots of lavender silk and barely the tips of the corn stalks!!!! And wonders WHAT variety had such lovely purple silk?!?!?! Should have taken the words? a few week ago" literally. lol

THE blue Hopi looks like it is coming up very well. The seed was stored well. How thickly did you plant originally??