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Advice & More April 2019

The Midnight Gardener

The Three Sisters Gardening Magic

By Lori Rose

“The corn, the bean and the squash are three loving sisters who must always live together to be happy. The older sister is tall and graceful, the next younger loved to twine about her and lean for strength upon her. The youngest rambled at the feet of her sisters and protected them from prowling enemies.”

Companion planting is today's garden buzzword for what our grandparents already knew – certain plants are happier and healthier when they grow near their friends. For instance, my Italian grandparents always planted tomatoes with basil. They said the basil made the tomatoes taste better. But companion planting doesn't just go back a few generations; it goes back thousands of years.

The legend of the Three Sisters is based on Native American agricultural lore. The well- being of each crop is protected by one of the Three Sister Spirits. “The corn, the bean and the squash are three loving sisters who must always live together to be happy. The older sister is tall and graceful, the next younger loved to twine about her and lean for strength upon her. The youngest rambled at the feet of her sisters and protected them from prowling enemies.”

The strength of the sturdy corn stalks support the twining beans, and the shade of the spreading squash vines trap moisture, deter weeds, and repel pests like hungry raccoons who love corn but don't like the prickles on the squash stems. The large amount of compost left from this planting combination can be incorporated back into the mound at the end of the season to build up the organic matter in the soil and improve its structure.

Success with a Three Sisters garden requires attention to timing, seed spacing, and varieties. Start by preparing a flat-topped mound about 18 inches across, adding lots of compost to feed the corn for the first year. A mound is used to slow the runoff of water and nutrients. The center of the mound should be five feet away from the center of the next mound.

After the last frost date in spring, plant four corn seeds in a six-inch square in the middle of the mound. When the corn is four inches tall, it's time to plant the beans and squash. First, weed the entire patch. Then plant four bean seeds, one between – and three inches away from – each corn plant to complete the square. Now plant three squash seeds in a triangle around the corn and beans. When the squash seedlings emerge, thin them to the two healthiest plants in each mound.

There are dozens of varieties of corn, beans and squash from which to choose, both hybrid and heirloom. Here are some suggestions for unique heirloom plants that will grow abundantly from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds at rareseeds.com:

Corn - the tall sister: Cherokee Long Ear popcorn boasts beautiful 6-inch ears with bright kernels that come in a variety of colors including red, blue, orange, white and yellow. It is great for popping and perfect for fall arrangements as it is highly ornamental.

Country Gentleman sweet corn is a shoe-peg type, meaning the kernels are not borne in rows but in a zigzag pattern. It was introduced in 1890 by S.D. Woodruff & Sons and has sweet, milky, tender white kernels on 8-inch ears. Baker Creek says this is one of the best heirloom sweet corns.

Beans - the leaning sister: The Cherokee people carried Cherokee Trail of Tears corn from Tennessee as they were marched to Oklahoma in 1839 over the infamous Trail of Tears. This prolific variety has shiny black beans and is useful as either a snap or dry bean.

King of the Garden lima bean grows to 10 feet and yields very large white lima beans over a long season. An old-fashioned favorite since 1883, this bean is terrific in succotash.

Summer squash - the rambling sister: Early Golden summer crookneck is one of the oldest types of squash dating back to pre-Columbus times and has been popular ever since for its great taste and ease of growing.

Striata d'Italia is a nine-inch zucchini with light and dark green stripes. The superb flavor and texture make this variety popular in Italy. Try it cut lengthwise and grilled with a little olive oil and Parmesan cheese.

Growing a Three Sisters garden is a unique way to grow three popular garden vegetables, and a wonderful way to feel more connected to the history of this land, regardless of our ancestry.

 

Lori Rose, the Midnight Gardener, has gardened since childhood and is a Temple University Certified Master Home Gardener and member of the Association for Garden Communicators (GWA).

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