the 3 sisters: corn runner beans (perhaps American groundnut) pumpkin (perhaps amaranth and sunflowers)
modified 3 sisters (requires less water): sorghum cowpeas sweet potatoes tomatoes bell peppers chia
similar to last but different species: millet peanuts chick peas lentils mung beans sesame
the rice patch (plenty of irrigation): rice corn sweet peas (any water tolerant legume)
the potato patch: potatoes bush beans quinoa
wheat patch: wheat bush beans (could be also sunflowers and quinoa)
vegetable patch: Lettuse celery brassicas onions garlic turnips
three brothers: (the perennial version of the three sisters) Apios americana (American groundnut) (Amphicarpaea bracteata (hog-peanut) works better) Helianthus tuberosus (sunchoke) Wild Strawberries
modified 3 sisters (requires less water):
- sorghum
- cowpeas
- sweet potatoes
- tomatoes
- bell peppers
- chia
That’s the 3 twin sisters
Thanks for sharing. Why would anyone downvote this?
Probably due to there being more than 3 in the examples. Overwhelming information.
Intellectually I know that there are probably people who come to Lemmy for a neurotypical amount of information, it’s just a weird thing to consider
Explanation: In North America, indigenous peoples widely used an agricultural system known as the ‘Three Sisters’. Squash, corn, and beans would be planted near each other, and each of the three crops would assist the growth of the other. This practice is known, in a broader sense, as ‘companion planting’. While companion planting was known as a concept to European cultures, it was much less widespread.
Typically of European colonists of the period, the system was ignored when colonists began moving into the area, and it would take hundreds of years after colonization for the efficiency of the system to be fully appreciated by European-derived cultures.
Upvoting for correct use of POV
For anyone wanting to try this in their backyard, don’t. Yes, it absolutely works and will produce more yield per square foot and per gallon of water, particularly in dry climates. However, it is a lot more manual labor throughout the growing season and at harvest. It’s worth it for subsistence agriculture, but not at all for hobby gardens.
Can you explain how it so drastically increases manual labor?
Sure! First, you need to time the planting right so that the corn is the right height for the beans to grow on at the right time. Then you have to manage the beans so that they trellise properly without choking the corn or squash. The stalks grow quickly, so you need to check them and adjust every day. Same with the squash.
Eventually by the time it’s all growing well you have a large thick layer of vegitation that is all tangled together. You need to get through it to water, weed, pest control, and harvest, all while keeping sure not to accidentally step or trip on anything.
It’s not impossible, but compared to seperate trellises for beans, rows of corn, and a squash mound it’s just a lot more work every day to keep up with.
I would imagine it’s because you’d need to be careful not to harm one plant when helping or harvesting the other.
That doesn’t sound like a lot more labor.
Yes so I might be missing something. I tried it once, but all I learned was you can’t really manage 3 sisters in one pot on your balcony. Those roots need to go deep. I got 3 bean pods, a half-cob of corn and a couple male squash blossoms before they all caught mildew and died.
Corn is wind-pollinated. You can’t just grow one stalk, you need dozens at minimum so they can pollinate each other.
Squash plants need tons of space on the ground. The stems/vines will actually send out roots wherever they touch moist soil.
I paintbrush-pollinated my one corn, it obviously didn’t do that well but it tried, made a small multicolored ear. The “Trail of Tears” bean plant made pretty little pink flowers but I had to add a tomato cage because my corn was too spindly to support it. I let one pod ripen fully and steamed the other two, they were good. Yeah the squash never really had a chance.
But it’s all good fun, and I do have success with cherry tomatoes, lemons, and blueberries.
Modern 3 sisters: Corn (industrial, not sweet) Soy Beans Anhydrous ammonia
My favorite is the Irish, who upon first learning of pumpkins immediately discarded turnips for carving faces into. “Fuck this woody root - gimme that big orange bastard so I can carve a face into it!”
Three cousins for all who are too lazy to remember what goes with what: Almost any vegetable + aromatic herb + Allium spp.
