"Three Sisters" question

[cc-rider]

I was reading the thread about raising corn and it raised a couple questions for me.

They said to raise corn the "Three Sisters" way....with beans to provide the nitrogen and squash to keep the weeds (and deer) away.

Question 1. How many rows of beans per how many rows of corn? Any kind of beans? (I'm thinking green beans - the farmer's markets can't keep up with green beans around here!)
Question 2. How do you harvest the beans and corn without stepping on and killing the squash (which typically matures later, right?). Any particular kind of squash? Pumpkins? Anything with a spreading vine?

Just thinking ahead for next year.

[Wisconsin Ann]

Traditional way is to plant in flat raised circles/mounds - 18" approx across. 4 corn kernals, 1 each N/S/W/E corners. When the the corn breaks the dirt you plant beans (field peas, dry beans/kidney/pinto/etc.) inbetween the corn plants..so..4 beans. When THOSE errupt thru the ground, you plant the squash. 3 squash I think it is, near the center of the circle.

If you do it in rows, you plant the corn at about 2' apart, then beans next to the corn on each side, and then squash inbetween the rows. (or plant the corn 3' apart, and beans next to them, then squash inbetween the corn plants on the row.) either way, you have squash vines everywhere

any kind of bean will work, (pole type) since what you're doing is using the corn stalk as a pole, and the bean to fix nitrogen in the soil which the corn robs.

[Terri]

I think they let most of the corn and beans dry before they harvested them, which meant that the squash was finishing. I HAVE heard that the Indians liked roasting ears, but the bulk was dry for winter food.

I THINK they planted the corn, and when it was a few inches tall they planted beans at the base. I do not remember when the squash was planted. I did read up on this, but that was a while back.

[frogmammy]

If you plant pole beans at the same time you plant the corn, the beans will pull the cornstalks over. Experience!

Mon

I know for a fact that squash DOSE NOT keep deer away as they eat the heck out of mine

[oakwoods201]

Just agreeing with everyone else. Let the corn get up a few inches, then plant your pole beans (I prefer pintos), then plant your pumpkins. If you want to pick some of your corn for roasting ears, pick at the ends of the rows and watch where you put your feet!

[ronbre]

it is important that you add the 4th element to the 3 sisters..the indians would bury a fish in each hill to fee them.

if you don't provide the food, you won't get good results.

also you really need to give it a lot of water and provide access to pick the beans so plant the squash in the centers of the beds and the beans around the perimenter..

do not provide too much nitrogen to your beans or you get a lot of leaves and no beans..and also the corn and squash need gobs of food..so if you have compost put it in very thickly in the center of the bed where the corn and squash is and thinner in the outside where the beans are.

i did my garden this way this year and also put potatoes between the corn and squash...and the compost pile..giving the potatoes even more compost.

my only problem was racoons..so if you want to EAT the corn..put up some defense when the corn is forming ears

[haypoint]

Yum, yum. Big bowl of Racoon stew, with beans, a couple corn meal muffins on the side and pumpkin pie for dessert.

I've seen the sisters planted both ways, in a circle and in regular rows. I guess it depends on how large the garden.

Never tried it with pole beans, but I agree they might pull the corn over.

Corn is a fast grower and a heavy feeder. Get your soil up to where the soil test says it should be and get your ph up there, too. Most compost needs lime. So if you are adding lots of compost, expect to buy some lime.

[happydog]

The old timers around here say to wait till the corn is 6 inches high before planting the beans.

[turtlehead]

You'll have better results if you plant winter squash, dent corn, and dry beans.

If you plant sweet corn you won't be able to harvest it without destroying the bean vines because they grow up the stalk and twine around the ears, tying them to the stalk. You want something you can leave alone and harvest later.

You need a tall corn that sets out extra roots, so it can provide a sturdy trellis for the beans. Bloody butcher is a good choice, as is Hickory King.

Likewise, if you plant green beans instead of beans you shell and keep dry, you'll be trying to wade through the garden and you won't be able to get to the beans without trampling the squash. Also, the beans tend to "jump" from one corn stalk to another so you can't really walk thru the garden like you can most gardens. A three sisters garden is one you plant, weed as long as you can, then leave it alone until first frost.

You'll want to plant a variety of bean that does well with low light. You can get several varieties from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. Ruth Stout, Turkey Craw, and Genuine Cornfield (also called Cherokee Cornfield) come to mind.

The squash - any vining winter squash, or pumpkin. I plant acorn and butternut.

[Oldcountryboy]

When the native americans done this there corn was more of a field corn type. Indian corn is what we call it. The kernals come in different colors such as red, yellow, blue, purple, and such. No two ears will be the same. It grows very tall and is sturdy enough for pole beans to grow on. The squash was more of the pumpkin type and they also grew gourds around there corn to use for bowls and dippers.

I grew a 3 sisters garden the summer before with some success. The raccoons and possums loved it. They ate their share and mine.

[Macybaby]

I've never done the beans, but routinely plant my squash with the corn. I plant the corn a week or two earlier than the squash and a variety that is early maturing. Usually I've harvested most of the corn before the squash has completely taken over so I can walk throuhgh - but I do have to watch where I step.

I plant the squash in a row next to the corn and let it head into the corn rows. Got plenty of corn and 58 butternut squash. I think I planted 6 hills of squash.



Cathy

[ChristyACB]

I did the three sisters this year and I made just about every mistake you can!

First: If you plant corn, don't plant sweet corn. Only drying corn. You simply can't harvest it without ripping beans to shreds.

Second: Your beans will be a hot mess of tangles because they reach and grab other corn stalks and pull it all sideways. To keep it untangled with be a DAILY chore and even then you'll still get the spiderweb effect. I planted Kentucky wonder and Chinese Red Noodle. I could at least see the Noodle beans to harvest. I wound up with a LOAD of beans for next years planting that got missed.

Third: It is sad to squash your squash. But you will. It just goes where it likes and no matter how much you train it, it will be where it likes and some vines will get squashed.

Mine looked like a giant pterodactyl nest by the end of summer. Seriously. I got lots of beans, some corn and some squash, but I would have done better NOT doing three sisters.

Next time, I'll plant LESS vigorous drying beans, dent corn and fewer squash.

[rambler]

Originally Posted by happydog

The old timers around here say to wait till the corn is 6 inches high before planting the beans.

I don't know anything about this, other than beans will add some N late in the year.

Corn will grow to about 4 leaves,a nd then sit for a week or almost 2. During that time it develops a root system, doesn't grow up above ground much at all.

It does _not_ like shading at this time.

So, one would be wise to let the corn get to that stage, before introducing seeds of aomething else. You would not want the beans to rival the corn growth early on.

--->Paul

[Ken Scharabok]

I chop and haul still green sweet corn stalks for my cattle (obtained via ad in local paper). This year a guy called to give me his stalks. He had planted two rows of giant white corn and pole beans. As such the beans could be reached from the outside. Had all of the giant white sweet corn and beans he and family wanted. I would have to chop a stalk at the base and then pull it away from the others, bean vines and all. Vines did pull over some stalks, but most still stood upright - some to 12' or more. Vines didn't seem to bother ear harvest.

First year the cattle had beans/vines. One took to them right away. Others had to acquire a taste. Some not at all. (When I start feeding out the corn the calves don't seem to like it much. Pretty soon you see them nibbling on the leaves. Then they go for the smaller stocks. Now the cows have to be called up to the truck first load or two. After that they hear me coming and head to the gate.)

Same way with watercrest. When the cattle go into that paddock some head right for it and others don't seem to like it at all. It is usually grazed down to water level within a couple of days.

I seem to recall it was once a common practice to inter-plant corn, beans and pumpkins together. After human harvest cows and hogs were turned into the lot to clean it out. Have been told hogs can be drunk eating rotting pumpkins.

[ronbre]

i use bush beans rather than pole beans..myself..and squash rather than pumpkins as i prefer squash..i have used pole beans in the past but it just made them harder to pick..also bush beans are better at shading out weeds