On Tue, 30 Dec 2003 13:20:17 GMT, Frogleg wrote:

~On 28 Dec 2003 10:32:40 -0800, (ken cohen)
~wrote:
~
~Has anyone had any experience of trying this method, which apparently
~was a North American Indian practice. I heard it described on a
~gardening programme today as growing sweetcorn, runner beans and
~courgettes/cucumbers/marrow together in the same bed to the benefit of
~each. Apparently you start the sweetcorn off first, then when it has
~gained a bit of height, you sow the runnerbeans, which then climb up
~the sweetcorn, and then you sow your courgettes/cucumbers which can do
~quite well in the environment thereby created for them.
~
~I wonder if there are other examples of growing crops together for
~mutual benefit?
~
~Corn & beans together are a common practice here (USA), for obvious
~reasons. The corn stalk provides a 'trellis' for beans, which don't
~strangle the fast-growing corn. I don't see where squash and cucumbers
~come into it. Perhaps vining cucumbers? Although the fruit is a lot
~heavier than that of a bean vine. Squash requires a lot more area
~(and sun) than could be found at the bottom of corn stalks.
~
~Ahhh. I think I see the light. Corn, beans (dried), and squash are
~staples of Native American growing and eating. Corn & beans together
~make a complete protein, and squash can't hurt. :-) Beans are
~nitrogen-fixing plants, and corn likes nitrogen to nourish all those
~leaves. Squash may do well in soil last used for beans, but unlikely
~to do well in the shade of corn plants.
~
~"Companion planting" usually touts the benefits of
~attracting/discouraging insects, but IMHO has mostly to do with with
~plants that enjoy similar conditions. Another poster mentioned
~tomatoes and basil -- they both do best in full-sun, warm locations,
~and are certainly companions at the dinner table, but AFAIK they don't
~encourage each other in any significant way.

These links are useful for background reading and also as a place
where suitable seed cultvars can be purchased. As you can imagine, not
all varieties can grow in the highly intertwined fashion,

http://www.rhs.org.uk/thegarden/pubs...03/newsrhs.asp
http://www.vidaverde.co.uk/minicollections.html

I grew sweetcorn with butternut squash underneath this year, but only
one squash plant really took off. I grew purple-flowered green
climbing beans 'Cobra' AGM with sweet peas - not quite as successfully
as I'd hoped due to the drought but I still got a lot of beans. Next
year I've got more allotment space so I'll try the cobra on their own
and perhaps plant the spares with the sweetcorn.


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!