[clarebear]

Just trying to think of ideas for planting next year. Have been searching through old posts and have seen reference to a three sisters garden. Have I got the right idea? It's sweetcorn, peas and squashes, right?

Has anyone done this? Can anyone give me any information? When is a good time to start planting? What are the best varieties to use?

Sorry lots of quesions. It just seems like such an interesting idea and I think tidly wink will love it.

[muntjac]

search three sisters again clare and look at all the posts there is a mass of info there for you to peruse at your leisure  

[WG.]

This subject got a fair airing earlier this year and, as I recall, was considered largely inappropriate for the UK climate.

Have a search though : please see http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?p=86593#86593 Use three sister* for keywords.

[sweet nasturtium]

It's also sometimes called the trinity.

[DD.]

This subject got a fair airing earlier this year and, as I recall, was considered largely inappropriate for the UK climate.

Smack on - as usual.

[John]

I'll third the conclusion - tried it twice now and neither time has it worked out for me.  If I was growing in southern Spain probably be different as it was developed by indians in the SW USA...

[gobs]

Dear Clearbear,

All that said and being so, let that not put you off from growing these crops, which of course won't support your livelihood as much as it did that of the south-american Indians.

[clarebear]

Well I've had a search though and it all seems rather interesting. I think I am going to give it a shot, if only for my son to learn abit of culture.

Thanks for the replies.

[paintedlady]

I sort of tried the 3 sisters idea this year - the squash (instead of pumpkin which is just as well) climbed up the sweetcorn and got top heavy, the beans disappeared and so much for the pumpkin/squash crowding out the weeds - I seem to have more than ever before. :?

Perhaps it was the weather as it was unusually wet!

[deneview]

i planted pumpkins- mars, in amongst my sweetcorn- about 8 x 8plant block- 3 pumpkin plants and 1 butternut squash(did nothiing) the pumpkins have kept the weeds down but i felt that may have hindered early growth of the sweet corn and the yield from plants close to where pumpkins were planted seems less . dont think beans would work well though has they tend to come late up here and would be out competed by the romping pumpkins.

[Rhuby]

Hi Clare(thats actually my name too)
I tried sweetcorn with a b.squash and basically the squash got mildue/fungal thing due to all the rain and not getting enough sun to dry out because of the corn over shadowing.
I wont be doing that again and I cant even imagine growing beans as well!!

[brinylon]

A complete * and will not do it again. I finally have 3 golf ball size butternut and got 3 acorn squash. Beans were okay but difficult to pick and I got no corn whatsoever (well after my in laws nicked the only cobb). They either went mouldy, or the stems got bent by corn and squash. Then the squirrels came a day or so after the in laws and made off with the last two.

[sweet nasturtium]

I did it this year but improvised and didn't space them properly or plant them on mounds.

I'm sure it would work but I guess it's all in the planting times - I got the corn to grow first and planted the beans in the ground later.  I got mixed up (again) and put courgette in instead of pumpkin and that needed more light.  But I'll try again next year.  I'll start all the seeds off in pots and transplant them when they are around the same size so one plant doesn't dominate.