What to plant with corn?

[redhen]

I remember reading somewhere that there is another veg. to plant with corn that will help it grow..or something like that. Does anyone know? Thanks for any help.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I think you are thinking about the three sisters? That means planting corn with beans and squash. The beans supposedly help the corn grow by adding nitrogen to the soil (I have heard that this isn't necessarily true, since most of the added soil nitrogen is associated with the bean roots). The squash help by shading the roots.

 

[redhen]

I have bush beans planted next to my corn.(but not right with them)...can i plant the squash (summer squash) right with the corn? in between the plants? How is this done? Thanks for replying!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Oh sure, no problem, I have been attempting to do this type of planting this year too. The traditional way to do it is to make 20" wide mounds about a foot tall, plant about 5 corn in the middle, wait a week, plant beans around the corn, wait a week, then plant the squash around the outside of the mound. Well, that techinque wasn't going to cut it for me, so I just planted a few rows of corn and then planted my beans right up next to them and to the south of the corn, and I also carved out a little bed space for the pumpkins in the very front (south side) of the bed. This is all in one garden bed and I don't think I have enough corn, so I will be hand pollinating it. I will probably also train the pumpkin vines so they shade the corn and stay out of my path.

So . . . long story short if you have room in or near your row of corn, then I would go ahead and plant the squash there. Last year I had a pumpkin in a bed adjacent to my corn and it grew in and intertwined with the corn. Try to plant the squash so the vine will want to grow over the corn roots (they tend to sprawl to the south). So you don't have to plant it in the same bed if you don't want to. I hope that makes some sense.

 

[redhen]

Thank you very much!! :coolsun

 

[Ridgerunner]

The beans supposedly help the corn grow by adding nitrogen to the soil (I have heard that this isn't necessarily true, since most of the added soil nitrogen is associated with the bean roots). .

I'm not sure if the beans produce enough nitrogen to help this year's corn crop. But corn is a heavy nitrogen user and beans do set nitrogen, if not for this year's crop, they will help replace what the corn uses. It is still a good fit.

 

[vfem]

I plan pole beans and squash or melon!!!

Helps with nitrogen the corn needs more of, and the corn supports the beans.

 

[redhen]

I have 2 short rows of silver queen seedlings planted..i started the seeds inside..and we planted them outside today.. they are maybe 2- 3 inches tall...And i also have 2 rows of bush bean sprouts planted..they are also very small and weak right now.. So my question is...Can i now plant more corn seeds in between my bush bean seedling sprouts??? AND also plant more bush bean seeds in between my corn seedlings? Does this make any sense? or will they smother each other? or should i buy some pole bean seeds to plant with the corn seedlings? I'm confused.. :bee

 

[redhen]

I plan pole beans and squash or melon!!!

Helps with nitrogen the corn needs more of, and the corn supports the beans.

Ahh! i see now!..the corn stalk acts as a pole for the pole beans! neat!!..so..bush beans wont really work with the corn then??

 

[headred]

I planted this way.....I think I read it in the book, "Companion Planting", to put cucumbers with corn so they can use the corn as a trellis. And then radishes next to the cucumbers to take some kind of bug away from the cucumber. We'll see if it all works!