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Old 07-12-2011, 03:41 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible
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Default Three sisters method.

On 7 Dec 2011 00:12:08 +0100, Gordon wrote:

General Schvantzkoph wrote in
:

On Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:42:31 +0100, Gordon wrote:

A friend told me about the Three Sisters growing method. Apearently
It comes from the Native Americans who would grow Corn, Beans and
Squash together. The corn stalks would provide a trellis for the
beans to grow on, and the squash would grow on the ground and provide
cover to control the weeds. Sounds intresting.

Anyone else heard of it? Anyone tried it?


I tried it a couple of years ago It sounds like a good idea but it
didn't do any better than conventional techniques.


??? Well, did the plans yeild the same compared to if they were
planted separatly?

Wouldn't the yeild of (say) 100sf of soil be higher compared to
planting separatly? For instance: 100sf of corn, 100sf of squash,
100sf of peas == 300sf of garden. VS 100sf of everything growing
together?


I've done the 3 sisters method for experimenting fun. I did baby bear
watermelons as I don't like squash and I included sunflowers. The
watermelons, sunflowers and corn did well, the beans not so much.

Kate
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Old 07-12-2011, 04:24 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible
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Default Three sisters method.

Billy wrote:
Gordon wrote:

....
??? Well, did the plans yeild the same compared to if they were
planted separatly?

Wouldn't the yeild of (say) 100sf of soil be higher compared to
planting separatly? For instance: 100sf of corn, 100sf of squash,
100sf of peas == 300sf of garden. VS 100sf of everything growing
together?


No.

The Fatal Harvest Reader by Andrew Kimbrell (Editor)
http://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Harvest-.../dp/155963944X
/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220837838&sr=1-1
(Available at a library near you, until they are closed, because of Wall
Street's bailout.)

....


plus what good is high productivity if the
nutritional value is less than what it used
to be?

and this makes me wonder about the fact that
many people eat too much and if some of that
overeating is the body's own way of saying, "i
need so much of this and i ain't getting it so
i better eat more" ?


songbird
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Old 07-12-2011, 11:49 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible
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Default Three sisters method.

On Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:41:25 -0500, Derald wrote:

Gordon wrote:

A friend told me about the Three Sisters growing method. Apearently It
comes from the Native Americans who would grow Corn, Beans and Squash
together. The corn stalks would provide a trellis for the beans to grow
on, and the squash would grow on the ground and provide cover to control
the weeds. Sounds intresting.

Anyone else heard of it? Anyone tried it?

Yeah, I heard it all for all of my life. Never believed it for a
minute.
You've omitted the most essential ingredient that fuels the whole
engine: The dead fish. I've always regarded the story as apocryphal but
it might work for the indigenous maize, squash and beans. I don't know
what purpose within the trio the corn serves save as trellis and it
seems to me the legumes would be putting nitrogen into the soil to late
in the life cycle to be of any short-term benefit to their companions.


The explanation that the Wampanoags at Plymouth Plantation gave was that
the squash keeps the weeds down and the beans add nitrogen to the soil.
Squash has very large leaves so I can see how they would act as a kind of
mulch. The nitrogen fixing properties are a long term effect, it's not
necessary for the peas and beans to provide nitrogen for this years crop,
it's value is that they add it to the soil for future crops. Crop rotation
has the same effect, you plant a nitrogen using crop like grains one year,
and nitrogen producing crops like legumes the next year. Three sisters
just does it all at once.
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Old 08-12-2011, 12:10 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible
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Default Three sisters method.

Derald wrote:

... and it seems to me the legumes would be
putting nitrogen into the soil to late in the life cycle to be of any short-term
benefit to their companions.


The cycle goes on for many years so the nitrogen from the legume applies
to next year's planting. Whether it's enough when planting all three
together is an interesting question. It's certainly a better sitution
than planting corn and/or squash year after year in the same location.
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Old 08-12-2011, 04:46 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible
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Default Three sisters method.

Derald wrote in
:

Yeah, I heard it all for all of my life. Never believed it for a
minute.
You've omitted the most essential ingredient that fuels the whole
engine: The dead fish.


Dead fish are easy to come by.
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Old 09-12-2011, 05:31 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible
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Default Three sisters method.

In article ,
Derald wrote:

Gordon wrote:


Dead fish are easy to come by.

True enough. I buy mine already rotted and processed into a liquid slurry
called "fish emulsion". Of course, since it is an ocean product, there's no
end
to the amount of toxic agricultural runoff, feces, mercury and other heavy
metals I'm adding to the soil in the Great Circle of Life, LOL! We all make
our
contributions....


Which is why people should buy "organic" fish emulsion, and not make the
dumb mistake of others.
--
- Billy

E pluribus unum
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-great-american-bubble-machine-20100405
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96993722
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Old 15-12-2011, 02:06 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible
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Default Three sisters method.

On Dec 4, 9:42*pm, Gordon wrote:
A friend told me about the Three Sisters growing method.
Apearently It comes from the Native Americans who would
grow Corn, Beans and Squash together. *The corn stalks
would provide a trellis for the beans to grow on, and
the squash would grow on the ground and provide cover
to control the weeds. Sounds intresting.

Anyone else heard of it? *Anyone tried it?


Newsgroups are a great way to discuss topics. In this case, the topic
is the Three Sisters growing method in gardening.
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Old 15-12-2011, 02:07 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible
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Default Three sisters method.

On Dec 4, 9:42*pm, Gordon wrote:
A friend told me about the Three Sisters growing method.
Apearently It comes from the Native Americans who would
grow Corn, Beans and Squash together. *The corn stalks
would provide a trellis for the beans to grow on, and
the squash would grow on the ground and provide cover
to control the weeds. Sounds intresting.

Anyone else heard of it? *Anyone tried it?


I have never heard of it.
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Old 15-12-2011, 08:44 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible
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Default Three sisters method.

On Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:07:59 -0800 (PST), Ryan Castle
wrote:

On Dec 4, 9:42*pm, Gordon wrote:
A friend told me about the Three Sisters growing method.
Apearently It comes from the Native Americans who would
grow Corn, Beans and Squash together. *The corn stalks
would provide a trellis for the beans to grow on, and
the squash would grow on the ground and provide cover
to control the weeds. Sounds intresting.

Anyone else heard of it? *Anyone tried it?


I have never heard of it.


Why not do some research and then report back to us?


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Old 19-12-2011, 07:21 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gordon[_6_] View Post
A friend told me about the Three Sisters growing method.
Apearently It comes from the Native Americans who would
grow Corn, Beans and Squash together. The corn stalks
would provide a trellis for the beans to grow on, and
the squash would grow on the ground and provide cover
to control the weeds. Sounds intresting.

Anyone else heard of it? Anyone tried it?

you know Gordon, i head this earlier and I was just wondering if anyone has tried the three sisters native american farming method? i saw it on a BBC program "my dream farm" and looked it up on google, it seems extremely clever and perfect for those who dont have much space.

Essentially you build a mound of earth around 12 inches high and 20 inches across, you plant maize in the middle of the mound then 1-2 weeks later you plant squash and beans around the edge alternating between the two.

It works well in that each element or sister supports the life of the other. The maize provides a platform for the beans to climb, eliminating the need for poles, the beans fix nitrogen into the soil improving the yield and health of the maize and squash, the squash covers the gound and stop weeds appearing and helps deter pests with its hairy stem and leaves (this all taken from wikipedia).

It reminds me of the type of farming used in West Africa, very similar, it's so clever because it is self-sustaining and self-supporting, does not need much space and would look pretty too, little pyramids of greenery, flowers and veg.

So has anyone tried this method?
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