Three Sisters Garden

[COgirl]

I'm doing three sisters this year. I am following the diagram on this site: http://www.reneesgarden.com/articles/3sisters.html

:happy_flower :tools

 

[Debby]

That sounds like good advice. I'll cultivate and hill-up the corn. Thanks DigitS and Vfem. I have lots of wind, but there isn't much I can do about that.

COgirl, I saw that site and should have followed that design, but it just didn't look like much corn. I guess I got greedy. Keep us posted with your success. It appears these patches can get quite crowded. It will be interesting to see how harvesting goes.

It rained hard last night and the world is clean, fresh and green this morning. The manure tea will have to wait.

Happy gardening everyone, Debby

 

[Texan]

I guess I am having a hard time understanding the difference between a mound and a row. My rows are raised, those are considered mounds, no?

 

[vfem]

My mound is approximately 3 1/2' long and 2' wide FLAT on top and them goes down. I plant the corn on the hill part of the mound going up... and across the top....

Unlike a row, there is no space in between. You put them the same distance in EVERY direction that you would in one line in a row.

Then on the hill part plant your beans so they grow UP and your squash so they grow down and around. I really need to take a photo... its similar if not the same at obsessed has hers.

 

[aidenbaby]

From what I was reading, the mound is literally a pile of dirt 12-18 inches tall. 3 or 4 stalks of corn are planted on the top. After a week or two (enough time to give the corn a jumpstart before the beans grow on it), 6-8 pole bean plants are planted around the corn. A week or two after that the squash is planted on the perimeter of the hill. The idea is that the corn gives the beans somthing to grow on, the beans provide energy for both the corn and the squash, and the squash acts as a living mulch to keep out weeds.

I think something similar could be done in rows. I'm going to try a combination of both methods. I'm hoping to get the section tilled this weekend and the corn planted.

 

[Rio_Lindo_AZ]

My squash plants are large now, but my corn is 3-6 inches tall. When the corn is larger, I'll sow the beans. I'll have to snap some pics of how the two siblings are doing, pretty soon they'll have a little sister and they'll turn into a three sisters garden!

 

[Empera]

That's great Chicken_Boy! I never heard about this method until after I planted all my seeds.

Are they all supposed to really help each other? I could understand about the beans supplying the corn with plenty of nitrogen, but what about the squash?

Love to see photos

 

[Robb Simer]

This is for TEXAN in Houston, to prevent water, or just dampness from causing trouble for the squash straw, or hay should be placed under each one to keep if off the damp ground. [And over each one to keep from sun scalding each "fruit of the vine." {or in this case, each squash.} The large squash leave act as a mulch and shield the soil from the sun.

 

[wifezilla]

Reviving this thread because I decided to try this in my raised bed. I have ornamental corn, chinese red noodle beans and warty pumpkins. I need to start the corn inside if I want this to work though.

 

[ducks4you]

Thanks, COgirl!! This is a better article than the one that I had saved about it. I'm planting the three together this year. We'll have to all take pictures of our results.
**ducks4you now loading new batteries into the 'ole digital camera , fingers NOT WORKING TODAY!!!**