My Three Sisters Garden Produced More Food Using Less Space!

The Three Sisters Garden is an indigenous method that has long been practiced in North America as a way to produce more food with better nutrition using less space. Studies has shown that the overall yield is bigger compared to monoculture corn. This is my second time doing it and while It wasn't perfect I still got a ton of food!

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[jacquesinthegarden]

Here is the article I followed to setup the "Three Sisters Field" style planting. Many people have commented to say they had much better success with the mound method which is also include in the same link!

[domesti-city]

I used to plant mammoth sunflowers in a large circle, then my beans at the base. Once the sunflowers were finished I tied the tops together to make a teepee for my small children, and the dogs liked it for the shade inside. Had I known I could do it, I would have put mushrooms inside.

[RuralRootsLiving]

I've heard of doing this with African crops. Okra, black eyed peas, and watermelon. As well as doing it in circles if you have the space.

[michaelireefe]

I am indigenous (Hopi) and it’s so inspiring to see people continue to learn from my ancestors. These are ancient practices. Most don’t understand that we not only grew plants but we had a relationship with them, even in present tense. We are still living, breathing and growing on indigenous land. Food sovereignty is so powerful. It has reminded me who I am

[ulla.umlaut]

I plant beans everywhere something is growing tall. Amaranth, check. Sunflowers, check. Tomato cages, check. They're living plant ties and a passive crop I harvest at the end of the season. Useful thing I've learned; sunflowers and amaranth don't turn yellow as fast as corn, so it's easier to see your dry beans!

[toaster]

As a Mexican this is the classic way we do it. In Mexico the staple of everyone in the town. Some grow mre than others to sell the public, and of course for the farm animals as well.

[FrozEnbyWolf]

I tried the Three Sisters this year but made the mistake of using Tahitian butternut as the squash. If you're not familiar with this variety, Tahitian butternut is notorious for taking over the entire garden, with vines that grow extremely fast and crawl all over everything. This dragged down my cornstalks, smothered my beans, and spread all over the walking paths. I ended up having to stake the corn, ironically. The good news is that I know now that corn can grow in my environment, and the types of beans that grow best here are scarlet runner, mayocoba, and soybean.

[justowningu]

Really cool that you had the patience to record throughout the growing season. Was nice to see the full process from planting to harvest, thanks!

[onedazinn]

If you plant your 3 sisters in raised mounds in the same area, I think your beans and squash will do much better. You might get less corn, but you'll have sun for your squash if you plant it on the sun side. Beans won't mind the shade at all. Check out info on growing the traditional mound style.

[nathanbattles]

I was taught as a child to make mounds with a fish in them then later plant 5 corn then when a few inches beans who use the corn stalk as a lattice then squash on the outer edges of the mounds to protect from bugs

[courtneycullen]

I started doing this with tomatoes and peas. I have a ton of tomato plants still winding up and they make great trellises for peas and beans. And then I tuck some cool season flowers around them. I am so inspired by interplanting. Maybe I will try corn next year!?

[ImGlyn]

This is great timing for me in Australia, Jacques! I already have my corn at about 10" high & never thought of 3 Sisters. Thank you so much, I'm planting beans as we speak 🌱🌱🌱

[katehowe]

It's Labour weekend here in New Zealand and generally people will start to plant their summer garden. This vid is perfect timing for us. Thanks Jacques!

[grannyfisher]

Nice video. There is a type of fungus that sometimes grows on corn called "corn smut" or Huitlacoche, which is a delicacy south of the border. You can cook it like mushrooms. Thanks for letting us watch the progress of your three sisters garden.

[terrivance]

Jacques,
Didn't realize it was the corn husks that were used to make dye. I'd love to see a video on how it's done. 😊

[wildkev]

I'm in the same sinking bean boat as you Jacque. I live in Zone 9b (an hour away from SD) and my beans never seem to really take off. Forever trying to get a decent bean harvest

[maryschrier]

Have you read "Farmer Boy" by Laura Ingalls Wilder? She tells about the 2 sisters method used by the Ingalls family in NY state. Interestingly, they used the squash as winter feed for their cattle. I think of that every time I see farms discing in the unsold /unpicked pumpkins in their fields. It would be a good "free" nutrition boost for their chickens, pigs, and cattle.

[This_Holy_Chaos]

I’m so glad I saw this video! I was already planning on doing a row of corn along a fence that is south facing, but now I can add in beans, and try some kind of a squash at its face, which I totally hadn’t even remembered when I was thinking about doing the corn. Thank you so much for the reminder!

[oldstandingwoman]

I plant Scarlet runner beans every year. I love them. I found out that they are a native to Central America and a perennial. Their roots are huge. I am in zone 7b so too cold to over winter out of doors. I am going to try potting up some roots and bringing them in where it is cool and dark and see what happens.
They do need a long growing season and I was late planting this year so while they look great it is unlikely they will dry this year. Fortunately I have enough seed from last year for next year .

[andrewsackville-west]

Nice video. About your surprisingly vigorous corn. You grew from saved seed, which means you likely, possibly inadvertently, have started to select for traits that work well in your conditions -- a land race corn adapted to your specific conditions. Thats pretty cool!