Topic: 3 sisters challange

[cambourne7]

HI All,

Well last year Jeannine kindly provided me with some corn seeds that was traditional to a 3 sisters bed unfortunately with was the way with most of my plants last year they failed.

So this year i have been reading up and am going to attempt it again :)

http://www.reneesgarden.com/articles/3sisters.html

I still have the bed to dig over (its 10x8 rather than 10x10 in the article but i think it should be ok).

From my calculations i need to have 24 squash plants and 28 corn and 28 bean plants EAK !!! 24 squash !! Do you think they would mind if i swapped a few for courgettes hehe

Anyone else planning a 3 sisters this year??

I believe i have to get things sown april going to try them in pots and then move to final position so i get this right :) Planning on making sure that the squash gets lots of chicken poop and going to bury in empty bottles upside down with the bottom cut off to help with getting water into the plants if we get a dry spell :) I like the idea of the mounds as it will allow me to use membrane between them to cut down weeding and help keep moisture in.

Probably going to be the last year i can do this as i am hoping to get the greenhouse up in this space next year.

Cam

[Deb P]

That seems to be a bonkers amount if squash to me! Even if you plant direct and thin to two seeds per station as they suggest, it still seems a lot. I have done corn and squash together which makes a good use of space, the beans  never do well for me in that setup.

[Jeannine]

Cam, you need 4 corn plants, 4 bean plants and just 2 squash plants per mound. You will be putting your squash in as plants , they do it plant straight out with seeds using more than they need to ensure pollination then they cull to the strongest two.

Good luck, I may do this myself this year too

 You have to use vining squash so no you can't do courgettes.

XX Jeannine

[Chrispy]

The article is for planting in a 10x10 square, not a 10x10 bed, once you add the extra 2ft around the square that you will need, that means you will have a 14x14 bed.

In a 10x8 bed I would only put a total of 4 growing postions for squash.

[manicscousers]

Only drying beans and squash this year, Cam. Not sure which squash yet but it worked ok last year 

[caroline7758]

Definitely not bothering with corn this year (that should guarantee a long hot summer!).

[Nigel B]

Definitely not bothering with corn this year (that should guarantee a long hot summer!).

Nevah say nevah!

Actually, yeah you're right Caroline. I have had failure after failure with the flippin' things.
I'm going to try to grow the Maize from the seed-swap, and that's it..... He says... Knowing full well a late rush of blood to the head will have him begging for a packet or two at the first sign of decent weather in mid-april sometime.
Bonkers, isn't it?

[cambourne7]

Christpy thanks for pointing that out i do get a little confused/over excited by measurements hehe

Jeannine i will have a look though my seeds and pull out the climbing ones :) hugs

Caroline thanks i will take advantage :)

[Digeroo]

I agree too many squash.  Also need a lot of food.  I guess they used it to dispose of a lot of waste products.

This site has some alterative planting plans.

http://blogs.cornell.edu/garden/get-activities/signature-projects/the-three-sisters-exploring-an-iroquois-garden/how-to-plant-the-three-sisters/

Used something more like this.  Where top is northish.  Peas did better on the northside than beans so would put them along top next time.  Cp corn/peas, cb corn/beans, co corn only Sq squash    Did not do well last year, beans did not do well though sweet corn earlybird ok.

sq   cb   cb   cb   cb   cb   cb   cb   cb   sq
...   cp   co   co   co   co   co   co   cp   ...
sq   cp   co   co   co   co   co   co   cp   sq
...   cb   cb   cb   cb   cb   cb   cb   cb   ...

[GrannieAnnie]

I tried this once and made the mistake of planting green pole beans, not beans for drying. It was impossible to keep the green beans picked that were growing up the corn without trampling the squash vines. Just thought I'd mention this.

[cambourne7]

I have seen this and am now considering tweeking 1/2 my 3 sisters bed. If i use 1/2 my space for a traditional planting and the other 1/2 for a mini version of this :) with runner beans (traditional) and maybe pati pan squash? or Red Kuri ?

http://mistyhorizon2003.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-grow-your-child-a-living-den-or-playhouse

Actually getting excited about garden now for a change!!

[Jeannine]

Red Kuri as you need a rambling one, patty pan is a bush summer one Cam XX Jeannine

[cambourne7]

Thanks Jeannine will stick to climbing types for the bamboo end :) Harriets very excited and wants to know if she can take her teddies in :)

[Jeannine]

Cherokee Trail of Tears is a good one for this project as it can be left on till dry XX Jeannine

[Toshofthe Wuffingas]

I might try this this year. I have 4ft wide beds so would have to adapt it for that. I reckon if I pre sow the sweetcorn in pots, I can plant them between early potatoes and earth the corn up as I harvest the spuds and then plant pre sown climbing pumpkins and drying beans. I'd be a bit worried that the squashes would swamp the other crops and that I'd need really stout poles to bear the weight of the pumpkins. A lot would depend on when exactly I could lift the early potatoes.

[lottie lou]

Don't use pattypan for your three sisters Cam.  I made the mistake of using courgettes and spent a lot of time crawling around the pumpkins trying to pick the darned things.

[Digeroo]

Got my plot prepared.  Had the winter with rye growing.  Now plenty of manure and  a covering of straw.   Decided to grow tromba d'albenga, no need to pick them and they have a tenancy to grow northwards.  I have a few broad beans to keep them out of the wind to start with.

Decided to use Earlybird hopefully I can pick it without too much damage to the squash.

[cambourne7]

I am sitting here with all my little packets of pumpkins and squashing how on earth do you know whats a climbing type and whats not??

[grannyjanny]

I'm sure Jeannine will be along to help you soon. Which ones have you got Cam?

[cambourne7]

2 many  DID I SAY THAT OUT LOUD??

Most of these i only have a few seeds left so might need to have a bit of a mix

Squash - Avalon F1 Hybrid
Squash - Spagehetti
Courgette - All Green Bush
Courgette - Defender F1 Hybrid
Butternut Squash
Courgette  - Zucchettia Frilliana
Squash - Franchi Zucchetta - Tromba d' albenga
Pumpkin - Atlantic Giant (i think this is grown for size only)
Pumpkin - Early Autumn F1 hybrid
Courgette - Black Beauty
Courgette - Di Nizza
Courgette - Early from Algeria
Courgette - Gold Rush F1
Courgette - Instanbul Kabak Sakiz pale green
Courgette - Temorano de argelia
Squash - Zucchino Rampicante (zucca d'albenga)
Pumpkin - Ahmeds Bosnian Pumpkin (1 left)
Pumpkin - Bush Buttercup
Pumpkin - Futusu (1 left)
Pumpkin - Hooligan F1 Hybrid
Pumpkin - Mars (was saved seed original was F1 so might not be true)
Pumpkin - Japanese Dumpling (1 left)
Pumpkin - Kakai
Pumpkin - Little Pumpkin
Pumpkin - Ghost Rider
Pumpkin - Paton Twins Giant (i think this is grown for size only)
Pumpkin - Suger Pie
Pumpkin - Valenciano
Pumpkin Tree
Squah - Jaspee
Squash -  Guatemalan Blue
Squash - Butternut Squash
Squash - Franchi Zucchetta - Zucchette Friliana
Squash - Jaune et vert (2 seeds)
Squash - kings - winter - Marina di Chioggia (Kabocha Squash)
Squash - Patty pan
Squash - Red Kari
Squash - Scallop Mixed
Squash - Sunshine F1 Hybrid (winter)
Squash - winter - bonbon
Squash - Winter - Butter nut type -really big
Squash - winter - table gold acorn
squash - winter - real seeds -galense al eysines
Squash - winter- selfsaves - Jaspee de Vendee
Squash - Vegetable Spaghetti
Squash - Autumn crown f1
Bush Buttercup

I hake kind of been trying to grow them at home since i moved from the allotment however its been a failure :(
Determined to try again and not let the weather beat me!!