Topic: Complimentary Planting

[Zoglet]

Hi, I am really keen to grow peas, corn and squash together as I understand such an arrangement is mutually beneficial for all crops mentioned. Problem is, I have no idea how many of each, how much space between, what to do with the ground in advance, etc - could anyone with experience of this offer advice please -ta very much!

 :)

[fbgrifter]

According to my companion planting book, you plant circles of corn and beans 5 ft apart in rows 8ft apart.  Sow 3 pumkin seeds between the rows. 

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Each corn/bean circle consists of 7 corn seeds and 4 beans seeds. 
The circle of corn is about 2ft in diametre (and is actually a circle with one in the middle) and 4 bean seeds making a square around the corn with the beans 8" from the corn.

First sow the corn (or transplant), once it is 6 inches high plant the bean seeds around the corn and the pumkins inbetween.

The soil will need to beed quite rich with plenty of compost or well rotted manure.  Hope that helps.

[amphibian]

I'm going to sow corn, beans and squash as follows. 18" flattened mounds with the centres 5' apart, four corn and squash planted in every other mound and two squash plant in each remaining mound. I stagger each row, like this.

[supersprout]

Where will you be planting the beans amphibian? ::)

[amphibian]

Where will you be planting the beans amphibian? ::)

In the corn mounds, each corn mound will have four corn and four beans, sown in a square, alternating, bean then corn.

[Zoglet]

Thanks very much for the suggestions - I have one more question, should I plant from seed or plant, If I am planting plants, how tall should they be before I plant them.

Thanks again.

Zoglet

[sarah]

this is a very interesting thread, i think there are probably as many ways of doing this as there are people doing it. I would be really interested if everyone compared results at the end of the season.
I am planning to sow about 16 sweetcorn plants about 18" to 2' apart and replace two or three of them with squash plants and pop a few climbing beans in there aswell. A bit less well planned than  others perhaps but i dont have a big space.   I am hoping it will all work out ok. 

I have started everything off in modules already and I am going to plant everything out at the same time (after next weeks cold snap) and hope for the best, i may have to support the french beans untill the sweetcorn grows a bit taller, we'll see.

[amphibian]

Thanks very much for the suggestions - I have one more question, should I plant from seed or plant, If I am planting plants, how tall should they be before I plant them.

Thanks again.

Zoglet

I am growing the corn and squash in pots and then sow the beans in situ, if you were to sow them all at the same time the beans would swamp the corn, the corn is about 1 ½' tall when planted out. You could sow in situ and wait for the corn to grow before planting the beans.

[Zoglet]

Thanks people - this is proving a very informative thread indeed! So I have another question; could beans be substituted for peas? Any ideas?

Zoglet

[fbgrifter]

yes, my book refers to beans rather than peas

[supersprout]

It's always beans in the Bookes, but why not try a few tall pea varieties and See What Happens? ::) :D

[Jesse]

Last year I planted the way amphibian has shown and it worked well, however just one thing to look out for, I planted from seedling stage and some of the corn seedlings got slugged, I had planned on 4 at each planting station. On those planting stations where some of the corn got slugged the cobs were poorly pollinated. So if I were to grow this way again, I'd keep a few seedlings in a tray as backup and fill in the gaps where any seedlings dissapear for whatever reason.

[amphibian]

Last year I planted the way amphibian has shown and it worked well, however just one thing to look out for, I planted from seedling stage and some of the corn seedlings got slugged, I had planned on 4 at each planting station. On those planting stations where some of the corn got slugged the cobs were poorly pollinated. So if I were to grow this way again, I'd keep a few seedlings in a tray as backup and fill in the gaps where any seedlings dissapear for whatever reason.

Yeah I have grown about ten spares, for just this purpose. Though as mine are pot grown hopefully they'll be big enough to survive the slugs anyway.

[Jesse]

never under-estimate a snail/slug ;) ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

I plant my corn 18 inches apart, and substitute a few with squash.

[flossie]

Interested to read the references to books about complimentaty planted.  Would be good if references could be posted on this thread - many thanks