Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Gloria Baikauskas <gcb49@flash.net>]

I am going to caution you re growing corn at the moment. When we have drought years in Texas the corn tends to get sick....get cancer.....though that is not the name of the disease.  I haven't grown in it years for that reason.....but I am considering it this year anyway because of my situation.  I also know now that it is more important that the corn have plant material like straw, or another mulch like it on the soil than many of the others because the diseases are spread usually by insects like whiteflies.

 

The corn crops in my area of NCentral Texas have been total losses for the chemical farmers the last few years. 

 

Ask at Seeds of Change, or another such place for a recommendation on varieties for your area.  I find it amazing that woman had not heard of the Three Sisters.  Oh well.  Maybe she was new.  Just remember not to use every stalk of corn to grow squash vines.  Leave spaces and skip plants.  The squash becomes so huge.....the plants....that is just isn't necessary. 

 

It is hard to recommend a squash without knowing if you are going to plant summer, or winter squash, pumpkins?  The same is true for the beans since I don't know what type of beans you are going to plant.  Ones that will be dry?  Ones you will eat the whole thing like green beans? 

 

If you grow the old heirlooms, you will most likely have the best luck.  That I can tell you.  The hybrids don't do as well usually.  I am growing buttercup squash <winter> this year and Cocozelle zucchini which is a very old variety of that.  They tend to have more flavor.

 

With corn you have to choose between those grown for flour, those for eating right away....or popcorn even.  Make those choices first. Then you can make better variety choices. 

 

You will get more protein from the beans that are dried....like pinto beans, or cannellini beans.....or one of the old varieties the natives planted back then that are still available now.  You won't find those at Walmart.  That is why catalogs are so valuable a tool for the gardener in planning.  You can order from the internet, or over the phone and get the order quickly in most cases. 

 

Hope that helps.

 

Gloria, Texas