Three Sisters

**beesue** · 05-02-2008, 07:06 PM

I thought I saw a thread here about 3 sisters (corn, beans and squash)

Can someone please link me to the earlier post?

Anyone else have any experince with this type of gardening? I've searched online and it seems like most of the info I am finding indicates that I should plant corn first, then the beans and squash. I thought I read that all 3 seeds should be/could be planted into a single hole....

If region matters, I live in SE Wisconsin, between Milwaukee and Madison.

Thanks!

**wanderinggrandma** · 05-03-2008, 12:09 AM

Freyadog mentioned something about this in one of her posts a while back. I hadn't heard of this before--so I'm interested in the details too!

**brenda67** · 05-03-2008, 03:40 PM

I believe it was Sunshine that posted about this? I will try to find the link.

**sunshine** · 05-04-2008, 09:04 AM

Here's what I said in another post, I hope it's helpful. If you have more questions, just ask:

Three Sisters Gardens
Corn, beans, and squash have a unique symbiotic relationship in a Native American garden. Corn offers a structure for the beans to climb. The beans, in turn, help to replenish the soil with nutrients. And the large leaves of squash and pumpkin vines provide living mulch that conserves water and provides weed control. This ancient style of companion planting has played a key role in the survival of all people in North America. Grown together these crops are able to thrive and provide high-yield, high-quality crops with a minimal environmental impact.

Corn is the tall grandfather who gives the beans a pole to climb up; the beans climb the corn and feed the soil for the corn; the squash keeps the soil moist for the thirsty crops, and it keeps away raccoons and other pests with its spiky stems.

In late spring, we plant the corn and beans and squash. They're not just plants- we call them the three sisters. We plant them together, three kinds of seeds in one hole. They want to be together with each other, just as we Indians want to be together with each other. So long as the three sisters are with us we know we will never starve. The Creator sends them to us each year. We celebrate them now. We thank Him for the gift He gives us today and every day.
- Chief Louis Farmer (Onondaga)

**sunshine** · 05-04-2008, 09:06 AM

BTW -- I plant all 3 seeds in the same hole, at the same time.

**brenda67** · 05-04-2008, 04:23 PM

Thank you Sunshine for posting this...

**mombottoo** · 05-04-2008, 07:45 PM

This is a very interesting concept...and it makes a whole lot of sense. I'm going to copy it & give it to my daughter for her garden. She has a family of 7 and is going to try and grow most of what they will need until next season. Thank you!

**freyadog** · 05-04-2008, 08:17 PM

I plant all three in the same hole.

Mine are up out of the ground and stretching their little arms. Had hay over them during the last freeze and they just keep on growing.

**brenda67** · 05-04-2008, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by freyadog

I plant all three in the same hole.

Mine are up out of the ground and stretching their little arms. Had hay over them during the last freeze and they just keep on growing.

I just love how you phrased the little arms stretching..I just get so excited watching my garden grow in every phase that they go through..

**ShawnaRae** · 05-05-2008, 10:52 AM

I am happy for the information. I have been planning my Three Sisters garden. I have always tried to plant good companions, and corn, beans and squash are perfect together. I didn't realize they could/should be planted in the same hole. Thank you for sharing. I will have to wait until the very end of May before I can plant.

**Jeanna** · 05-05-2008, 11:10 AM

The Cherokee tell a story of there were once three sisters that never wanted to leave each other and get married so they were turned into corn, beans, and squash so they would never have to.
I know that has nothing to do with why you would plant them but I thought it was a neat story.

**beesue** · 05-05-2008, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by sunshine

BTW -- I plant all 3 seeds in the same hole, at the same time.

Thanks. I read that in many regions planting all 3 seeds in one hole would result in a tangled mess of vines. I was really hoping that wouldn't be the case in the upper Midwest.

**BetterLateThanNever** · 05-05-2008, 02:47 PM

Sorry but with me you need to state the obvious :-) Are we talking any kind of squash (summer, zucchini, butternut, pumpkin?) Beans? (green, wax, pole?) also can peas be substituted for beans?

Thanks
Kim

**sunshine** · 05-23-2008, 06:48 PM

Any kind of squash, although I generally plant pumpkins in mine. . . pole beans , so they climb up the corn stalk -- never tried peas, although I'd think they'd work about the same. . . do peas fix nitrogen in the soil?