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Garden Gate:  Three Sisters  |
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl
6949 Posts
Sara
Paris
TX
USA
6949 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 17 2015 : 03:50:49 AM
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Nicole's post about corn smut got me thinking about the Three Sisters. It's the Indian way of planting corn, pole beans, and pumpkins/gourds together. The pole beans grow up the corn stalk; the pumpkins/gourds cover the ground around the corn doing double duty as food and mulch.
The only corn I've ever planted was a 4'X4' block of Indian corn. Dried it and it lasted years for fall decorations. One of these days I would like to plant a block of the Three Sisters. If I don't get it done this year there's always next year.
Sara
Walk in Peace - Live with Joy
FarmGirl Sister #6034 Aug 25, 2014 |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4739 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4739 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2015 : 05:53:35 AM
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I used the 3 Sisters method at my old house and at the community garden plot I had last year. It is a great way to grow all 3 vegetables and makes weeding and watering much easier since they are there together. I do hope you get to try it this year. It is quite an efficient way to grow & maintain vegetables.
Gardening is just a far off dream here for us, it is in the single digits here this whole week plus we still have 6+ inches of snow left from the big storm we had two weeks ago. Keep us posted how you do!
Dawn in IL |
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2015 : 06:06:04 AM
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This sounds fascinating! I've been reading some about permeaculture, and have tryng to wrap my brain around it... honestly I am struggling to do so, since I am a "do A then B then C" type person, but I find it fascinating! Perhaps when we get our homestead, we can try this!
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl
6949 Posts
Sara
Paris
TX
USA
6949 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2015 : 06:22:39 AM
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Dawn, you are the first person I have talked with that has grown the Three Sisters. Your success has made me more determined to do it. All I need is seeds, a shovel, and energy.
Shannon, permaculture is a new one for me. Tell me a little about it.
Sara
Walk in Peace - Live with Joy
FarmGirl Sister #6034 Aug 25, 2014 |
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2015 : 07:15:25 AM
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Like I said, I am still wrapping my brain around it, but it is basically referred to as a "Farm Forest." Rather than having everything separated and in individual rows and sections, you work with nature, which in turn helps your produce grow. The idea s also to begin your planting and once it is done, you don't have to restart it over and over again. You also use your critters, if you have any, to help in the "garden." It is designed around beneficial relationships, including adding plants that are beneficial for pollinators, which in turn is beneficial for the production of your food. I guess in many ways, it is basically making an edible landscape that all in all is its own ecosystem, supply the needs for both itself and for the person planting it. And that is as far as I have gotten on my understanding, lol.
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4739 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4739 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2015 : 07:30:33 AM
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Sara, I was nervous about doing it at first and bought a book about this. Once I saw how simple it is to do I went for it. The squash keeps the weeds down, watering is simple to do since they are together and the squash acts as a mulch to keep the moisture in. All three benefit from each others nutrients and it works beautifully! The Reggenstein Vegetable Garden at the Chicago Botanical Garden has been doing this for years and I always admired it. That's what made me take the plunge & I've never looked back!
Go for it! You will be hooked as soon as all the seeds take off. First off, plant the corn. Once it is several inches tall, then do the others. The corn needs a head start so it isn't overwhelmed by the peas and squash. Thanks for the background info Shannon.
Gardening in my dreams right now!
Dawn in IL |
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AFinkberry
True Blue Farmgirl
310 Posts
Ally
Kalama
Washington
310 Posts |
Posted - Feb 19 2015 : 9:01:14 PM
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How crazy is this! I just read about this today in one of my seed catalogs! Maybe this is providence saying to give it a go!
Ally
Farmgirl Sister #5672
"There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness." ~His Holiness the Dalai Lama |
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melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3319 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3319 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2015 : 08:58:19 AM
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I had a "three sisters" garden plot in one of my raised beds a couple of years ago. What fun!!
We received a lot of comments by passers-by (we live in town) and our raised beds are in the front yard behind our white picket fence....so we saw quite a bit of foot traffic. Besides re-creating an historical planting method it was a great conversation piece!
Melody |
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl
6949 Posts
Sara
Paris
TX
USA
6949 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2015 : 09:06:09 AM
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Dawn & Melody, I am so happy to hear from someone that has actually grown the Three Sisters. Makes me want to do it even more. What size were your blocks of corn? How much room for the pumpkins or gourds?
Ally, I have found that when I am interested in something I start seeing it everywhere. Let us know if you do it and how it turned out for you.
Sara
Walk in Peace - Live with Joy
FarmGirl Sister #6034 Aug 25, 2014 |
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Garden Gate: Three Sisters |
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Three Sisters
