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+--- Thread: Not just the Three sisters (/showthread.php?tid=2313)
Not just the Three sisters - Veggie - 09-02-2025
We've all heard about the Three Sisters method of growing where sweetcorn, climbing beans and squash are grown together and provide benefits to each other. The beans climb the corn stalks, the squash shades the ground between the plants and the beans add nitrogen to the soil. The RHS suggests growing sunflowers in the mix too. too. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/features/three-sisters
I've just read an article about Hodmedod's grower of Carlin peas who grows the carlin peas alongside Triticale cereal which provides a support for the peas to climb up. https://digital-mag.co.uk/waitrosefood-magazine/feb2025/#90
This has me wondering what other crops could be "buddied up" (as the Hodmedod's grower calls it). Two plants grown in the same place providing double the harvest.
I'm not really thinking about "companion planting" where one plant acts as a pest deterrent to another, like onions and carrots, but where one plant takes advantage of the physical characteristics of another - like beans climbing up sweetcorn. It could be like hedging your bets - if your sweetcorn is a failure, never mind, because you may still have beans, idea.
Any ideas for other combinations?
RE: Not just the Three sisters - Small chilli - 09-02-2025
Off the top of my head I can’t think of anything. But I like the idea. Going to definitely try the 3 sisters when I have some raised beds in place. Really like the Idea of sunflowers in the mix as well. Love sunflowers.
Going to have a think about other possibilities, while I’m digging today.
RE: Not just the Three sisters - JJB - 09-02-2025
(09-02-2025, 09:57 AM)Small chilli Wrote: Off the top of my head I can’t think of anything. But I like the idea. Going to definitely try the 3 sisters when I have some raised beds in place. Really like the Idea of sunflowers in the mix as well. Love sunflowers.
Going to have a think about other possibilities, while I’m digging today.
I thought about the 3 sisters then realised that the optimum planting distances (if you pay attention to such things) we're much greater than I was able to accommodate at the time.
RE: Not just the Three sisters - toomanytommytoes - 09-02-2025
I had really good success planting sunflowers in the strawberry bed. The strawberries shade the soil and the sunflowers seem to like the extra moisture.
RE: Not just the Three sisters - Veggie - 14-02-2025
Has anyone grown callaloo, amaranth, quinoa please? I'm wondering how tall and sturdy the stems are and whether they would support a climbing bean?
RE: Not just the Three sisters - Small chilli - 14-02-2025
Can’t help sorry.
I was wondering about one of the tall brassica (9 star broccoli or tree cabbage?) would do a similar job. Support beans.
RE: Not just the Three sisters - JJB - 14-02-2025
What about your massive statement flowering plant SC, that might give beans a run for their money. As my beans usually overwhelm my 2.5m/8ft ish bamboo canes, I'm not able to think of anything growing to support them. Maybe the fabled three sisters beans were short drying beans. TBH the combination of beans and anything fills me with horror, I have enough trouble picking sprawling beans in a traditional A frame without scrabbling through another growing thing.
RE: Not just the Three sisters - Bren - 14-02-2025
I grow sunflowers at the end of my tall pea row often they escape the trellis grow up the sunflowers instead.
RE: Not just the Three sisters - Veggie - 14-02-2025
(14-02-2025, 08:51 AM)Small chilli Wrote: Can’t help sorry.I think they would be too leafy for beans to grow up. Need something that doesn't have many big leaves. I've been thinking about raspberry canes -- as you will have guessed, I don't grow them in rows and they are spread throughout the garden. Maybe plant beans or peas around a clump (is that a stool?) of raspberries?
I was wondering about one of the tall brassica (9 star broccoli or tree cabbage?) would do a similar job. Support beans.
RE: Not just the Three sisters - SarrissUK - 18-02-2025
Amaranth is not strong enough to grow other plants up them, in my opinion. Not tall enough either, at least not the variety I grew.