beans, corn and squash....

[safronsue]

i'm thinking of companion planting and came across this with the native american indian scheme of so-called 3 sisters of corn, squash and beans. have just watched some youtube vids featuring this planting but with mixed results. i think it's a great idea but i bet there are finer points to consider. the chap in the vid had planted too much corn which resulted in the beans not getting enough sun. how have others fared with their 3 sisters gardens and what have you learnt?

[Odsox]

I have only ever managed 2 sisters, sweetcorn and squash, and that works very well for me.
The reason for not growing the beans as well is when I first thought I'd try I sowed (in pots) the beans too early and they would have crippled the corn. The only drawback with corn and squash is you have to mind that you don't tread on the squash vines when you harvest the corn cobs.

[safronsue]

timing is crucial it would seem.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

The three sisters is a marvellous example of how to maximise yields in a very unpromising agricultural situation - the tribes that practiced it lived in areas with thin, infertile soil and very low rainfall. While it was great for that situation it does not necessarily mean that it will translate well to a temperate climate and relatively good soil.

My first attempt at a three sisters bed gave decidedly mediocre results: I planted in the traditional manner with beans climbing the maize and squash acting as a mulch. The maize seemed to be swamped by the beans and the beans themselves did not yield much. The squash did OK.

The next time it tried I planted a sort of chequer board of blocks of maize and squash - I reasoned that water was not a particular problem for me, so I didn't need the squash to act as a mulch. In rows between the blocks I planted beans but chose dwarf types, which of course weren't available to the Native American planters. This made harvest much easier and the nitrogen fixed by the beans was still close enough to the roots of the other plants to benefit them.

This system worked a great deal better.

I think these sorts of things are fun to try and educational, but they don't necessarily fit into what is best practice in this climate. I've got far better results from following a more traditional European-style rotation. Greece, on the other hand, might be more of a suitable venue.

[safronsue]

interesting jon. the area i want to plant up is several newly laid up beds which are deep and rich, so there are completely different demands of course.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

interesting jon. the area i want to plant up is several newly laid up beds which are deep and rich, so there are completely different demands of course.

How's your access to water? Maize is a quite a thisty crop, so if you are short of it then planting squash around the crop could well be beneficial. The combination would rob the soil of a fair bit of nutrient, but followed with a nitrogen fixing crop and some organic matter, this would soon replenish.