the 3 sisters

i read in a mag recentley about planting the 3 sisters.
if i remember correctly you plant sweetcorn, beans / peas and pumpkins together. didn't say too much about it though. has anyone got any more info on it. seems they compliment each other somehow. i assume they are all planted at the same time.
my braod beans are ready to go in, i'm just wary of putting out the sweetcorn and pumpkin with all the rubbish weather we've had recentley.

 

if you google "3 sisters" you get loads of information.
Here's one I found - enjoy!

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

 

excellent lynne

thank you. just need it to stop raining so i can get out and do a stint in the garden.

 

i have just read the info on the link you sent lynne. i'm a little late for the planting of the 3 sisters. i already have my runner beans in. i'm sure it won't work as well with broad beans as they runners would have climbed up the sweet corn. i'll give it a try with my broad beans though. nothing ventured etc.

 

That's fascinating! I dont really have enough room for corn now though.

 

i'm going to plan my garedn a bit better next year and take into account things like the 3 sisters. mine is a bit hap hazard at the moment, sort of last minute digging and planting. whats in is growing fine but i'll give anything a go once.

 

this very subject was on gardeners world (bbc 2) friday the 18th may they said that the runner beans planted next to sweet corn gave off nitrogen though their roots which the s/corn seem to like they so mentioned pumpkins.
Apparently the runner beans use the s/corn to grow up as supports so they help one another, I planted some together on saturday to see how well it works.

 

One of my work mates mentioned this to me yesterday. The pumpkin, or squash supposedly covers the ground around the 3 to supress weeds.

 

thanks sarah 999 that sounds a good Idea to me the only thing is that pumpkins take up to much room by rambling where you don't want them.