Three Sisters Texas Style

[Meadowlark]

Interplanting is one of the practices of ancient farming which involves planting more than one type of plant together. It is used extensively in Mexico where I first observed it and subsequently adopted it. Many advantages of this approach include lessened insect problems, protection from wind/elements, weed control/elimination, and nitrogen fixing if a legume is one of the plants. It can be done small scale and/or large scale equally well.

The "standard" compliment of plants for three sisters is squash, beans, and corn. What I call the Texas three sisters is better I believe because squash doesn't do well in the Texas heat and beans and watermelon and corn on the other hand each thrives. The corn provides support for the beans which provide nitrogen to the others and the watermelon provides shade to eliminate weeds. This has worked really well for me for a long time.

Presenting the Texas Three Sisters:

 

[Ruderunner]

Not hot enough here for watermelon so we're doing corn, beans and cabbage.

 

[zigs]

We have a Pumpkin and some beans planted together, I'll take a picture tomorrow

 

[zigs]

We don't have corn in England, will this do?

 

[YumYum]

We don't have corn in England, will this do? View attachment 97052

I laughed my quorn off. You really don't have corn there?

 

[zigs]

I laughed my quorn off. You really don't have corn there?

The farmers grow it for animal fodder, not something I would want to eat. Bit like Pumpkins, we grow those to give to the kids at Halloween so they can carve faces of their favorite pop stars into, but we'd only eat them if we were really hungry

 

[Tetters]

Cor, a silly corner!! Can I come in?

 

[Susan BBPM]

Too wet in Scotland to plant so closely. Also, beans grow quicker than corn - season too short to get corn a head start. I love the idea of three sisters but the closest approximation I can get to the look is to use different raised beds and tubs in close proximity. That way you can keep the containers closer together in spring (when it tends to be dry) and move them apart in autumn when everything gets too wet.

 

[Meadowlark]

The farmers grow it for animal fodder, not something I would want to eat. Bit like Pumpkins, we grow those to give to the kids at Halloween so they can carve faces of their favorite pop stars into, but we'd only eat them if we were really hungry

My goodness. The taste of fresh picked triple sweet corn is something to experience. Sad that y'all can't do that. Do you not eat pumpkin pie?

 

[zigs]

My goodness. The taste of fresh picked triple sweet corn is something to experience. Sad that y'all can't do that. Do you not eat pumpkin pie?

I grew some in the 1980's that was ok, since then they've introduced "super sweet" varieties that TBH, taste as bad as the "no added sugar" soda that I've also stopped drinking as it's not only foul tasting but also probably toxic

My ex sister in law made pumpkin pie, it was horrible Mind you, she also made a Mexican themed Christmas dinner that started off with tomato soup with vodka in it and ended up with stuffed peppers

I've never been hungry after Christmas dinner before