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What beans grow best in Three Sisters?

bon100
14 years ago

HI

I'm planting a large Three Sisters bed this year using 2-3 varieties of winter squash, Sweet Corn and Dent Corn. What would be the best pole beans to plant with them? Also will the Sweet and Dent corns cross-pollinate?

Comments (12)

  • jimster
    14 years ago

    Yes, the sweet and dent corns will cross, to the detriment of the sweet corn and probably the dent corn too. I'm not sure.

    The stalks of sweet corn are too weak to support beans. Indians used dent or flint corn, which have stronger stalks. I believe sweet corns are a modern development and would not have been an option anyway.

    Some pole beans are known as cornfield beans. Those would be obvious choices for a three sisters planting. I think most pole beans, except for ones with very tall, heavy growth would be suitable.

    I believe all of the vegetables in a three sisters system were grown mainly for winter storage -- dry beans, winter squash and corn for meal. Field corn picked at the right stage of development can be used as roasting ears however and some dry bean varieties are good at the snap bean or shelly stages.

    I plan to have a three sisters garden this year. Let's share info. I've done a lot of research but I'm not sure everything I've written above is correct. I welcome corrections.

    Jim

  • bon100
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for the information, I'll have to find another place for my sweet corn. Do you happen to know how far apart corn varieties need to be to avoid coross-pollination?

  • jimster
    14 years ago

    Very faaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

    Corn pollen is carried by wind, so it goes much farther than insect carried pollen.

    Time separation works better for corn in home gardens. Try to time the plantings so pollination periods don't overlap. Not an easy thing to plan, I know. I'm up against the same problem because it is likely someone will grow sweet corn in the vicinity of my garden. Also, I don't wish to spoil someone else's corn by crossing it with mine.

    Jim

  • bon100
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I have heard that there is a way of containing the corn pollen by draping a water-permeable cover over the stalks, supported by posts, around the corn patch. My 3 Sisters patch is not going to be very large (about 5x8)so I could conceivably set up something to prevent the dent corn's pollen from getting spread by the wind.
    I am planning to plant a very early sweet corn also, so hopefully that will help.

  • jimster
    14 years ago

    I think that would work. Just shake the corn to be sure the pollen gets spread around.

    In growing hybrid seed corn, two varieties are interplanted and the female parent is detassled to prevent self pollination. In some hybridizing, the ears of the female parent are bagged to prevent unwanted pollination and they are hand pollinated by shaking tassles from the appropriate pollen parent over the silks.

    Jim

  • booberry85
    14 years ago

    Can sunflower stalks be used as "supports" for pole beans or are they too flimsy?

  • cabrita
    14 years ago

    I have used sunflower stalks for beans to climb. It works very well up to a point. Problem is that here pole beans are very long lived, and I see no reason to take them out if they are still giving me pods. The sunflowers die as soon as they flower, and they tend to fall over. Even dead, they do provide a structure for the beans, so it is mostly a matter of aesthetics. You do end up with a bunch of dead sunflowers holding live beans, but then again, corn does the same thing. Also, I plant a lot of sunflowers and some of them for some reason are a lot stronger than others, some of them cannot self support, so they will not do so well for the beans either. This year I am using corn (flour corn) and I also built some trellises from branches. I would use sunflowers again though, as I said it does works pretty well.

  • promethean_spark
    14 years ago

    I'd imagine 'mammoth' or 'skyscraper' sunflowers would work best since they're considerably larger in the stalk than the standard varieties.

  • jimster
    14 years ago

    "...they're considerably larger in the stalk than the standard varieties."

    You ain't just a kiddin'! Their stalks are as big as my arm. And their height is more than ample for supporting pole beans.

    Sunflowers have large, broad leaves. I wonder if that is compatible with beans. Will the bean leaves be shaded too much? Apparently not because sunflowers have been used in this way.

    Jim

  • bon100
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Ok, I'm going to plant some mammoth sunflowers in the center of my 3 sisters patch & train some of the pole beans up them. Surrounded by the corn, it should look pretty cool.

  • takadi
    14 years ago

    Companion planting sites tell me that sunflowers and pole beans are "enemies". So wouldn't this be unfeasible?

  • cabrita
    14 years ago

    takadi, I have found conflicting information in companion planting sites. My beans did well with both the corn and the sunflowers (I put sunflowers because I did not have enough corn seed to fill the space) but I do use sun flowers as trap crops, and as sacrificial crops. I do not expect to harvest anything from them except the shade and the cheerful beauty. The squirrels and birds eat the seeds. The rest of the seeds produce next season's crop, which feed the pests (all sorts of bugs and also attract pollinators and beneficials). Perhaps if one was serious about growing the sunflowers, having a bunch of beans trying to climb it would be detrimental to the sunflower?

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