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nafex - [NAFEX] squash, corn and beans

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  • From: "Jim Fruth" <jimfruth@charter.net>
  • To: "NAFEX" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] squash, corn and beans
  • Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2011 10:00:37 -0600

Michele in Ohio asked, "This is a little off topic, but has anyone seen recent research on the three sisters technique for squash, corn and beans?"

I have grown squash in the corn patch, planting them both (from seed) on the same day. It works, however the squash harvest suffers a bit as compared to growing squash in full sun. A few squash vines brought down corn stalks but the corn loss wasn't significant. The biggest problem came in the form of stepping on (unseen) squash vines during the corn harvest, ruining their potential productivity.

My experience with beans in corn wasn't intentional. I once planted pole beans a bit too close to the corn and some vines ignored their trellis, opting to climb on the corn instead. That would have been just fine, if the beans would have stayed on one stalk of corn. No, they were more errant than that jumping from one stalk to another, even spanning rows making the corn harvest almost impossible without cutting bean vines.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Fruit Farm
4002 Davis Street
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472
1-218-831-7018 (My Cell)




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