Planting a Three Sisters Garden
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Did you know corn, beans, and squash are called the “Three Sisters”? Many Native American tribes planted this trio together because they thrive like three inseparable sisters. Here’s how to perform a Three Sisters Planting to have your own Three Sisters garden.
What Is a Three Sisters Garden?
The Three Sisters method is companion planting at its best, with three plants growing symbiotically to deter weeds and pests, enrich the soil, and support each other.
Instead of planting single rows of a single vegetable, this method of interplanting introduced biodiversity, which does many things—from attracting pollinators to making the land richer instead of stripping it of nutrients. In a sense, we take no more from nature than what we give back.
When European settlers arrived in America in the early 1600s, the Iroquois had been growing the “three sisters” for over three centuries. The vegetable trio sustained the Native Americans both physically and spiritually. In legend, the plants were a gift from the gods, always to be grown together, eaten together, and celebrated together.
Each of the sisters contributes something to the planting. Together, the sisters provide a balanced diet from a single planting.
- As older sisters often do, the corn offers the beans necessary support.
- The pole beans, the giving sister, pull nitrogen from the air and bring it to the soil to benefit all three.
- As the beans grow through the tangle of squash vines and wind their way up the cornstalks into the sunlight, they hold the sisters close together.
- The large leaves of the sprawling squash protect the threesome by creating living mulch that shades the soil, keeping it cool and moist and preventing weeds.
- The prickly squash leaves also keep away raccoons and other pests, which don’t like to step on them.
Together, the Three Sisters provide both sustainable soil fertility and a healthy diet. Perfection!
Which Seeds to Plant in a Three Sisters Garden
In modern-day gardens, the Three Sisters consists of these three vegetables:
- Pole beans (not bush beans). Common pole beans, such as ‘Scarlet Runner’ or ‘Italian Snap,’ should work. The ‘Ohio Pole Bean’ is our favorite. We’ve also heard that some very vigorous hybrid pole beans clambering up skinny hybrid corn stalks can pull them down. So if you want to be extra cautious, look for less vigorous climbers. If you’d like to try traditional varieties, look for ’Four Corners Gold’ Beans or ‘Hopi Light Yellow’.
- Corn such as sweet corn, dent corn, popcorn, or a combination. Your favorite sweet corn variety will do, although Native American gardeners traditionally used heartier corn with shorter stalks or many-stalked varieties so that the beans didn’t pull down the corn. Varieties include the pale yellow Tarahumara corn, Hopi White corn, or heritage Black Aztec.
- Small-leafed squash such as summer squash (zucchini) or winter squash (Hubbard). Note: Pumpkins are too vigorous and heavy; plant in a separate bed. Native American squash was different, but a yellow summer crookneck is similar enough.
If you do wish to investigate pure strains of native seeds, reach out to experts such as Native Seeds/SEARCH, a nonprofit headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, or Native American cultural museums.
How to Plant the Three Sisters
There are variations to the Three Sisters method, but the idea is to plant the sisters in clusters on low, wide mounds rather than in a traditional single row.
Before planting, choose a sunny location (at least 6 hours of full sun every day). This method of planting isn’t based on rows, so think in terms of a small field. Each hill will be about 4 feet wide and 4 feet apart, with 4 to 6 corn plants per hill. Calculate your space with this in mind.
- In the spring, prepare the soil with plenty of organic matter and weed-free compost. Adjust the soil with fish scraps or wood ash if needed.
- Make a mound of soil that is about a foot high at its center and 3 to 4 feet wide. The center of the mound should be flat and about 10 inches in diameter. For multiple mounds, space about four feet apart.
- Plant corn first, once the danger of frost has passed and nighttime temperatures reach 55°F (13°C). Don’t plant any later than June 1 in most areas, since corn requires a long growing season. See local frost dates.
Sow six kernels of corn an inch deep in the flat part of the mound, about ten inches apart in a circle of about 2 feet in diameter.
- Don’t plant the beans and squash until the corn is about 6 inches to 1 foot tall. This ensures that the corn stalks will be strong enough to support the beans. The beans’ role is to fix nitrogen in the soil, which is needed for strong corn production. You can grow several pole bean varieties without worrying about hybrids, but just plant one variety per hill. (Tip: Another option is to plant corn transplants; in this case, you’d plant them at the same time as the beans.)
- Once the corn is 6 inches to 1 foot tall, plant four bean seeds, evenly spaced, around each stalk. (Tip: If you coat your bean seeds with an inoculant before planting, you will fix nitrogen in the soil, and that will benefit all of the plants.)
- About a week later, plant six squash seeds, evenly spaced, around the perimeter of the mound. See the spacing for squash on your packet; usually, this is about 18 inches apart. You may wish to put two seeds in each hole to make sure that at least one germinates.
Sometimes, a fourth sister is included, such as a sunflower or amaranth, which attracts pollinators and lures birds away from the seeds. Sunflowers can be planted at the cross-section of the spaces between the corn hills and harvested for seeds. Amaranth could come up among the squash and could be harvested both for greens and for seeds.
Watch our video demonstrating a Three Sisters Planting.
Read our article on Companion Gardening to learn more about which plants are friends—or, foes!
Catherine Boeckmann
Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener
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Comments
Im confused on your measurements. Step two says top of mound 10" diameter then step four says plant on top six corn 10" apart in circle of two feet.....?! Please clarify. Ty.
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The circumference of a 2 foot diameter circle is about 70 inches. Basically I think they're just saying to space them equally around the edge. I would draw lines to divide it into sixths (kind of shaped like a chi-rho) and plant them at the ends of the lines.
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There were six sisters. In addition to corn beans and squash, there are also sunflowers, amaranth, and tobacco. Dry sunflowers are a nutricious snack on the go. Amaranth seeds are baked into a flat bread,0r rehydrated to make a hot porrage, and tobacco was used for ceremony as "tribute" or as a universal currency. success with the crops depended on water availability and expected frost dates.
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The purpose of all of the sisters was to provide vegetables for DRYING as stored food for winter.You will find it very difficult to harvest fresh green beans or fresh sweet corn or summer squash without disturbing the rest of the plants in the tower. The fruits were left on the stalks and vines until right around the first frost and then all of them harvested and dried at the same time
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I do not plant more than 3 species in a single mound. Just remember the 3 jobs, support, slight shading for water conservation, and soil improvement
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Any adjustments for growing in a tropical climate? I'm usually in Burma and Indonesia where corn and squash are grown year round.
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As long as you use varieties that are suitable for growing in those climates, the basic idea of the Three Sisters should work for you just fine!
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My name is Sue and I work for a company called GardenShop in South Africa. Your article is very well written and the explanations are very clear for a novice gardener. May we please get permission to use your article in our mailer and on our website: https://www.gardenshop.co.za/ It would be much appreciated. If you approve who should we credit. Looking forward to your reply. Stay saafe and keep gardening. Regards Sue
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Hi Sue,
You are welcome to reference and quote our article in your own article as long it is attributed properly ("The Old Farmer's Almanac, Almanac.com") with a link back to this article. However, we would ask that you not duplicate more than a paragraph or two.
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Then learn how to plant
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I'm sorry that was not for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I find this intriguing and want to do this next spring. I have had massive problems with squash bugs the last two years and was wondering if companion planting these three would help alleviate this problem. Or if I needed to place praying mantis eggs in the garden.
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Mantis eggs which might be sold on line are for the very invasive, aggresive Chinese mantis. The native Carolina mantis has almost been wiped out and the Chinese mantis attacks and EATS migrating Ruby Throat humming birds in the fall!
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I'm wondering about the sunflowers. Sunflowers typically kill most things planted around them due to some weed suppressing chemicals used by sunflowers to drown out the competition. I guess you could plant them several feet away and they would be ok.
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Well, I see that although this article is dated May 2020, the comment thread goes all the way back to 2013. Questions about the type of corn appear to be addressed in the (presumed) update to the article last year. Questions about the mound, however, received only vague comments about drainage, and to Iroquois mythology. I first heard about three sisters in the Southwest, far from Iroquois territory, and use of a mound appears to be hit or miss; even the included video might be slightly mounded but it sure isn't a foot high. And I don't understand the description of where to put the optional sunflowers (I'm trying mine in the center of the corn circle). On your next update it would be helpful to clarify these ambiguities.
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The how-to video included in this post literally gives no information on how to plant these three things together...you just reiterate the same information you gave in the text. Pretty please add an actual demonstration of building the mound and planting the seeds. In the meantime I guess I am just winging it. Thanks!
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1. What is the purpose of the mound? Why build it up at all? Couldn't you just plant the same layout at existing ground level? 2. Your math doesn't add up. Step 2 says to make the flat top of the mound "about 10 inches across." Step 4, however, says to plant the corn kernels on the flat top "in a circle about 2 feet in diameter." Step 4's dimensions make more sense - assuming there's a reason for the mound at all - but which is it?
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I grow this every year and it works... The purpose for the mound is 1. you actually bury your fertilizer under the mound. Native Americans used fish parts but you can use whatever.. I use rabbit manure as it's plentiful here. 2. it elevates the corn and beans above the squash so you can get to the beans for picking later. Once you plant this garden harvesting is difficult but as the article states a great producer on small land. You train the squash vines (the best you can) to stay around the mounds...You should give it a try... Good luck
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The plan for this garden is to produce food to DRY at the END of the season. You will be making dry corn to grind into meal or store whole to rehydrate in a stew, dried beans to rehydrate in stew and winter squash to keep for the winter. You will not be growing fresh sweet corn, fresh grean beans or summer .squash. The people had no way to preserve fresh vegetables and three sisters was a source of WINTER food. Do not try to harvest during the growing season because you will damage the other plants in the group.
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Although Native Americans used this method to grow field corn, dry beans, and winter squash for the winter, I have successfully used it to grow sweet/green corn, green beans, and summer squash. A few suggestions: 1) Using a bush variety of summer squash, like pattypan, will allow you to get to the corn and beans more easily for harvest; 2) Many sweet corn varieties have short stalks that won't support tall bean varieties, so be sure to pick appropriate varieties; and 3) Your beans will probably produce for a while after the corn has been harvested, so don't remove the corn stalks when harvesting the corn.
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My corn was planted about a month ago and beans were planted when the corn was a foot tall and the squash was planted about a week ago. When should I fertilize, and what kind? I’m in region 8
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I'm wanting to try planting a very small version of the 3 sisters garden. Wondering if I could plant snow peas instead of the bean varieties metioned, as these also grow on 'vines'. Also, would there be a good substitute for the squash - I don't really like it, and have no one to give it to. I don't want to grow something that will only be wasted. Thanks Kate
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Peas grow best in cool weather, so they would likely struggle with the heat of summer, when beans would flourish.
As for a squash replacement—try cucumbers, watermelon, or pumpkins (which is techinically a squash, but may be more fun than a butternut or acorn squash).
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I remember one year I went to a garden and they talked about the three sisters, My daughter works in a day care center and wants to teach the children that grocery stores don't grow vegetables, and she asked for my advice about what to grow. I thought a bout the three sisters story and thought it would be good to put a little culture into it. It would be better if they see the process of growing it, processing it, and shipping it to the grocery stores. But I'm just a big dreamer.
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My family have lived in eastern Kentucky for two hundred plus years. They always planted the three sisters. I didn’t know it was called that until I was grown and had moved away. I’m 69 now and no longer need to have this large a garden. My mom’s choice of bean were an old variety called “Dutch white half runner bean”. She didn’t like fuzzy beans and these have smooth hulls. We planted whatever sweet corn was available and grew cushaw, a large squash and regional favorite. Cushaw grew huge, some crook-necks were 3 feet tall. We had to use a hatchet and hammer to cut into the hard rind! We baked the cushaw flesh with butter and brown sugar. What wonderful memories this article revived! As a fluke, we grew a few peanut plants one year but I don’t remember them vining. The funniest thing was after they set fruit and then burrowed into the ground!! We harvested the plants but didn’t know what to do with them afterwards! I think we fed them to the squirrels. I live in Georgia now and find this hilarious!! Thanks for your wonderful articles and recipes.
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I thought that beans always fixed nitrogen into the soil. Why is an innoculant recommended in this case?
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Legumes such as clover, peas and beans have root-colonizing rhizobacteria that can increase the availability of nitrogen to the plant by fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere. Each legume has a specific rhizobacteria that works best with that plant. Inoculating the legume seed with the correct bacteria ensures the legume will maximize nitrogen availability if nitrogen in the soil is low This is particularly important if you have not planted the legume species before, because the correct bacteria may not be present in the soil.
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Hi, I've scrolled through the comments, searching for my answer and have not yet seen it. Wondering about the three sisters planting, can I plant peanuts in place of beans, or perhaps some on one side and runner beans on another side of the garden. I've been looking at the diagram, for the four sisters, where pumpkins and melons are used in the outer corners.
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We admit, we've never tried peanuts! I suppose they are a legume, so they would offer similar nitrogen-fixing benefits. As long as you don't think they would be too strong to pull down the corn, it seems worth an experiment. We'd love to hear if it works out!
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Is this planting available in the Garden Planner?
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See Jeremy's great feedback below. If you watch the video on this page, you'll see a very nice combination which includes: Scarlet runner beans, oldcrest sweetcorn and the old French heirloom red pumpkin Rouge Vif D’ Etampes. We also added Monarda ( Bee balm) as a fourth Sister.
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You can definitely plan a 3-Sisters planting plan in the Garden Planner. You do that by adding the plants individually in the layout pattern that you want to use. Once you've added your first squash, corn and beans you can then use the Selection tool to select and copy them and then paste that pattern as many times as you need to to cover the area you have.
There are some good examples available here:
A simple traditional layout: https://gardenplanner.almanac.com/garden-plans/692612/
A larger row-based 3 sisters layout (from a community garden in Africa): https://gardenplanner.almanac.com/garden-plans/283710/kab...
An interesting 4 Sisters layout which adds sunflowers: https://gardenplanner.almanac.com/garden-plans/576922/usa...
Feel free to email our Garden Planner customer support staff if you have further questions here: https://gardenplanner.almanac.com/contact.aspx
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I've seen this in many articles but no one specifies what types of beans and squash - please explain what types are best to grow together with an example- thanks
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See Jeremy's note below for great feedback. For more ideas: Scarlet runner beans are gorgeous. Also, try oldcrest sweetcorn and the old French heirloom red pumpkin Rouge Vif D’ Etampes. It is this combo that is shown in the video on this page! The red and yellow and scarlet flowers of the beans are a showstopper.
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You'll find a very informative article with details of varieties to use written by Barbara Pleasant here on our Garden Planner site:
https://gardenplanner.almanac.com/guides/companion-planti...
There are quite a few options that work well (including sweet corn) - just remember that choosing a larger squash variety will take up considerably more space.
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One important fact about nutrition was left out of your article. It's always been my understanding that when eaten together, corn and beans create an near perfect protein. Us Indians gave you succotash!
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Sunflowers were sometimes added to this arrangement as well. They were either planted in mounds along the northern border of the garden, or planted in the center of the "corn circle" mound with the "three sisters". There is a good, informative book titled, "Native American Gardening" written by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac that describes two different versions of the "Three Sisters Garden",(Wampanoag and Hidatsa), as well as other interesting information. It's published by Fulcrum Publishing.
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Thanks for the name of the gardening book; my comment: Sweet fresh corn (uncooked in salads); is a high source of Lutein and Lycopene; tow essential nutrients for better vision"; Squash has Beta-carotene; found in Carrots also; I will plant the three sisters this week; thanks!;;
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what can I use to get rid of Japanese beetles? can I use something on the corn?
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Here is a page that talks about Japanese beetles and their control. Hope this helps!
https://www.almanac.com/pest/japanese-beetles">https://www.almanac.com/pest/japanese-beetles
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I love the idea of growing the ancient three sisters. I wonder if it can be done with pumpkins. I also wonder if the corn can be sweet corn. Also, is it possible to grow two species of corn together? Sweet corn and popping corn. If you could answer I question posted this late it would be much appreciated.
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You should be ok with pumpkins. However, it is not advisable to plant sweet and popping corn together; they are genetically different and their presence together will result in a starchy, not sweet, kernels. The best corns are dent, flint, and flour corn; popcorn, which does not get tall, is likely to get overwhelmed by beans and pumpkins.
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I've read that tomatoes and corn don't make good companions because they attract the same pests. Is there more to it than that? Also, my garden is 16 ft x 20 ft. I am designate a 10x10 ft portion to a 3-sisters garden next year. How far away should I plan on planting the tomatoes?
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As far as I know, the two vegetable plants are not recommended to be planted together mainly because both attract the corn earworm, also called the tomato fruitworm. The adult moths of this pest can fly long distances, so it sounds like no matter how far away you plant the tomatoes from the corn in your plot, they'd still be susceptible to the moths laying eggs. However, once the eggs hatch, the larvae essentially stay on that one plant. So, if you'd like to have both corn and tomatoes, you might try about a 5 foot separation between the corn and tomatoes and then monitor closely for moths, eggs, and larvae. On corn, the worms like to feed on the silks and then move into the ears from the tip. On tomatoes, they can eat the fruit (burrowing inside), buds, or leaves. Eggs are about the size of a pinhead and are creamy white -- look for them on corn silks and on tomato leaves and buds. Encourage beneficial parasitic wasps by planting dill, parsley, and similar nearby. Till soil in early spring to destroy overwintering pupae. Hope this helps!
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In my central Alberta, Canada garden, I have always grown corn and tomatoes next to each other (many varieties of tomato ripen; corn, only short-season cultivars), but never have seen these pests, nor the tomato worm. I have heard that around Taber in the SW, where sweet corn is a commercial product, there is concern about introducing the corn earworm (corn borer?) even in water-ground meal. What is the present northern limit of these pests? Are they occurring farther north as the climate changes?
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Do the three sisters needed to be relocated each year, or can they go back into the same soil. Does it help to plant a winter cover crop to refresh the soil for the next year?
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It is always wise to move your plants around, Linda. So, yes, we recommend relocating the three sisters each year.
Planting a cover crop helps/improves the soil but it does not serve the same purpose as planting the three sisters elsewhere. And plant other crops in their place.
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What are good crops to plant for crop rotation following 3 sisters?
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I keep reading how sweet corn won't work for 3 sisters. This article doesn't mention that. Anybody have any hope for my dreams of corn on the cob?
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You can try planting sweet corn elsewhere in your garden, but it is not meant to be used for the Three Sisters--the corn was grown to be dried for grinding into cornmeal
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The method seems to work just fine with sweet corn. I did a "Two Sister" method a couple of years ago, using just sweet corn and beans -- and I planted them in rows, rather than hills. Both plants thrived and the vegetables were good. The science behind the method is the same for any corn (and peas are very similar to beans in this regard). Sweet corn, like any other corn, has an upright growth habit to support climbing plants (the beans or peas). Any corn (including sweet) benefits greatly from higher levels of nitrogen provided by beans or peas. The squash is there for ground cover for the other plants and also benefits from the extra nitrogen from the beans/peas. I would go ahead and try it. I am doing it again this year with Country Gentleman corn, some beans, some peas, and am getting ready to sow some pumpkin (since we very rarely eat squash).
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I've been thinking to try companion planting and "the three sisters" could be a good start for me. My siter will be very glad to read your post too. Thank you for sharing this nice information!
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Sunflower, Mammoth produces a plethora of edible & viable seeds, Pumpkin Pie plants needs plenty of space to spread, beautiful flowers, arugula is easy to grow outside, cooler months after the frost
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Doing research on the beans used by SW native americans, including mesoamericans pre-conquest, the bean used is called a tepary bean and is one of the most drought tolerant legumes known. It is a small bean, but is heat tolerant as well. The gourds were probably a winter type that resists rot and can serve as a container when seeds were removed. The corn was a flint type that is multi-colored and has a strong and tall stalk.
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I have a couple questions regarding the type of corn, squash and beans used. First, these plants you mention seem kind of unusual, are they even available to purchase? Second, what does "flint" corn taste like? And third, is there a squash that would taste good that would be recommended? Thank you! Lydia Saunders
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I just came across this post. I know it was posted a year ago and no one will probably see this, but just in case I hope this helps someone. The squash that works well for me is butternut squash. It's not a favorite of the squash vine borer pest and it's very versatile to cook with. The beans I would recommend are pole beans, they climb well and will give you the "look" of the three sisters garden. Lastly, for the corn, do your research, look at the average last frost date of your area. Corn will not typically germinate when the soil temp is lower than 60 degrees. Some varieties will adapt to cooler weather. There are treated seeds. Popcorn would be fun but if you are not able to dry it out properly it will be a total waste. Sweet corn is popular, tasty, and unless you have a mill, is probably you're best option over all other types of corn. Look up Johnny Seeds in Maine for seeds. If you want all of your seeds to sprout, check them out.
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can you recommend some types of corn, beans and squash for this.
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I live in Southern California zone 10. Is it possible to start a three sisters planting in the fall instead of spring?
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You can certainly start them and see how they go. These are summer-loving plants, meaning they like summer temps. It would be an interesting experiment.
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Seems to be good advice. The help provided by this site is outstanding, as well as the manners. If I were to have more than one mound, lets assume many, how far apart would be good to distance the mounds from one another? I'm unfamiliar with squash/pumpkins and their spread. Thank you in advance :)
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We'd suggest allowing between 5 and 8 feet, from the center of one hill to the center of the next. If you are using a pumpkin/squash variety that sprawls considerably, select the wider spacing; for compact squash or pumpkins, you might try the smaller spacing. You want the squash/pumpkins to sprawl on the ground, covering the surface to act as a living mulch, shading the soil and helping it to retain moisture and block weeds from emerging. If you plant the mounds too far apart, the vines may not cover the whole area (closer plantings may also help with corn pollination). Some pumpkin vines can sprawl more than 20 feet (but it is best to trim them for fruit production). Vines of bush types of squash/pumpkin plants may grow only 3 to 4 feet long. Unless you have a large area to grow your garden, you might select semi-bush, bush, or miniature squash/pumpkin varieties.
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I read that harvesting the beans using this method is very difficult. I would love to try it, but could see how that could happen. Does anyone have any suggestions or comments?
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Try stepping stones (either big, natural ones or large cast ones from your friendly landscaping supplier). I place them at convenient spaces between every other row in my ground-level garden. This allows access to every row, either on my right or my left, as I walk across the stones. It does require regular pushing aside of vigorous growers, but the stones, themselves, offer some discouragement to the plants' trying to take root in the walking path. I like them big enough to do the job, but not so big as to make moving or removing them too difficult. Next year's garden always gets different spacing (and sometimes row orientation), as I rotate crops. Also, I do till the soil occasionally (which some argue is unnecessary and even counterproductive in well-maintained soil), so the stones need to get out of the way for that.
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I'm using the Garden Planner - is there a way to represent the plants in the Three Sisters layout using this tool? Thanks!
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You can represent your Three Sisters planting by either placing each plant individually, or by editing the spacings for each plant to take into account the wider spacings used in intercropping, and dragging out a row or block. You can edit spacings in the following way:
1. Add a row of plants to your plan and double-click on it.
2. Click on the + and then select your variety or add a new variety.
3. Click Edit
4. Check the 'Use Custom Plant Spacings' box and edit the values for the 'Spacing between plants in rows' and 'Spacing between rows' fields, or 'Spacing between plants' if you're planting in blocks.
5. Click Save and then click Done.
We hope that helps!
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I had great success with a 3sisters this year--lots of food produced easily,even though--i would do somethings different next year... i planted it on a 16x14foot low-profile hugelkulture bed which was marvelously rich with compost and decomposing wood. i planted sunflowers in the same bed with no ill effects--they were used as a pretty edge, while the inside was filled with corn, scarlet runner beans & delicata squash...I was pretty random with the plantings--didn't mound & didn't follow spacing guidlines, even stuffed a few volunteer squashes into the edges when i found them elsewhere--next time i will make wider paths of at least 2feet between my blocks; i think i planted too much squash which got out of control and pulled down my corn--also i used some saved squash seeds which obviously had been cross pollinated and produced frankensquash--next year only fresh bought seed and if i didn't have so much i think i could have controlled it's direction better... I have been considering using zuchini instead of a trailing squash next year--still thinking on this. we also were blessed with a long hot summer.you could see pictures of my garden on Sun Lotus Yoga Sanctuary facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.878525305506928...
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what kind of corn did you use and were the delicata squash and runner beans tasty? Thank you for your very useful information!
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Does anyone know how a three sisters garden is/was traditionally 'put to bed' in the winter? We have harvested our beans, corn and squash -do we leave the corn stalks over winter? (We are in Minnesota)
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Good question! We haven't heard how the garden was traditionally put to bed. However, we'd recommend that you remove garden debris before winter, to discourage pests and diseases from overwintering. Some gardeners cut the corn stalks at the base and let the fallen stalks dry for a week or so. They then chop the stalks and leaves into small pieces (by hand, mower, or chipper/shredder) and till the chopped pieces into the soil, or add them to the compost pile.
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I am re planting my garden midsummer in va. I was wondering of the sister rule still applies of they are transplants? is it even possible?
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Starting a garden late, was given 24, 4x8 garden boxes and free water... I would like yellow squash, collards, cabbage, okra, sweet corn, sweet peas, green beans, onions, and asscarrots, tomatoes, sweet green yellow and red peppers, and assorted herbs... any suggestions for companions, spacing and number of types and total plants per box?
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You might be interested in these articles:
companion plants:
http://www.almanac.com/content/plant-companions-friend-or...
http://www.almanac.com/content/plant-companions-list-ten-...
http://www.almanac.com/content/herb-companions-garden-and...
For spacing for each plant, see our vegetable and herb articles:
http://www.almanac.com/plants/type/vegetable
http://www.almanac.com/plants/type/herb
You might also be interested in our online Garden Planner, which is a tool to plot your garden (you could set up 24 rows of 4x8 raised beds, for example)--it will automatically give you the spacing for each plant and tell you how many would fit in the area, etc., and the planting/harvesting times will be tailored to your local climate (via zip code). It is a free tool for 30 days. After that, if you find you like it, you can subscribe for $25 per year. It's handy for garden records, and it will tell you next year what plants should not be put in the same plot (crop rotation). See:
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Need gardening help.
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Do the squash/pumpkins need to be planted ON the mound? Or are they planted along the perimeter on level ground?
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We plant 4 to 5 seeds inside a small mound or hill when we plant pumpkins. You plant one inch deep on the mound itself.
You can also hill up squash, though this is more useful in northern climates to help warm up the soil.
In fact, in hot southern climates, some gardeners will plant in a depression so they can more easily water.
It would be helpful for you to review our growing pages for pumpkins and for summer squash below:
http://www.almanac.com/plant/pumpkins
http://www.almanac.com/plant/squash-zucchini
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Are there other vegetable / fruit combinations that will thrive using the Three Sisters companion planting method?.
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Here is a list of vegetables that thrive in each other's company (as well as those that do not):
http://www.almanac.com/content/plant-companions-list-ten-...
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I have 16 corn plants planted in a square beans around the outside and squash planted at the corners no mound what does the mound do
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Good question. Planting in or on mounds keeps water from collecting at the plant's stem and root. That's why squash and melons are also grown this way. It maybe that with good drainage, your crops will be fine without a mound, but making mounds ensures drainage not matter what weather conditions come to pass. Apparently some folks also plant in raised beds as well as on flat ground. As for mounding the three sisters in particular, one source suggests that Iroquois Native Americans believed that the trio would only survive if planted on a mound. Hope this helps. Let us know how it goes for you.
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Yes, tomatoes are an antagonist to both corn and potatoes. Tomatoes are a heavy feeder, as well as corn. Both should not be planted in the same area where they will rob each other of needed nutrients, thus you will have weak crops from both. Check your local extension office for further information and general families/foes.
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According to our companion planting chart (http://www.almanac.com/content/plant-companions-list-ten-..., sunflowers are not foes of tomatoes.
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The planting chart and James' comment says tomatoes and sunflowers DO NOT get along together, however, last year I had both sunflowers and tomato plants come up in the same bed and those tomato plants out-produced those in other areas of the garden. So, it would seem that there exceptions to the rule?
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I'm trying four sisters, but two versions of each. Corn/sunflowers; zucchini/summer squash; peas/beans. I love this concept, plus the fact it has been used successfully for hundreds of years by our native people.
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Neither sunflowers nor peas were raised by Native Americans. Sunflowers were imported from Russia and peas from Europe. I am not sure that corn will do well if panted with sunflowers. Sunflowers have a negative alleopathic effect on many garden plants.
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Corn does fine with sunflowers, I've been doing it for years with success. They also do well with cucumber. Sunflowers attract birds keep this in mind if you have a crop that birds savor. Sunflowers also attract Aphids .....
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I am sorry, but you are incorrect on the note about the sunflowers. Sunflowers are a native to North America and while it was commercialized elsewhere and bred for bigger better flowers elsewhere (especially Russia) sunflowers were used by some Native American Tribes. One example is a type of perennial sunflower that was used by Native Americans called sunchokes/Jerusalem artichokes ....that sunflower is harvested for the root.
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Peas and corn do not share the same season. Corn needs heat and summer and peas need cold and spring. As stated elsewhere, sunflowers tend to decrease germination of surrounding plants, but you could plant at a border set apart. It would look great. In NM, the fourth sister is traditionally Chile peppers.
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Why does everyone always say plantED? We plant, we are still here.