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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] squash, corn and beans

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  • From: Hilborn.E@epamail.epa.gov
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] squash, corn and beans
  • Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:07:37 -0500

My experience is that over the course of the summer the beans pull the
corn stalks over. The stalks sometimes fold or break before the corn
matures and the whole mess covers and shades the squash.

Betsy Hilborn
7a NC






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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