I tried it once, but wasn't too successful as I didn't pay enough attention to the fact that these are long/late season crops. Further, I think heirloom varietals work better than our current favorites. Also planted everything together which resulted in a mess, though I did get some crops.

Your post took me back down memory lane and I researched and found the attached info. It explains why my experiement wasn't successful.....:-(

Good luck,

Ev

Here is a link that might be useful: three sisters info

The native Americans did this with dry beans, dry corn, and winter squash that could be planted, left alone, and harvested all at once in autumn when all were mature. They didn't have to go into the patch to pick sweet corn and string beans. I don't know that there is that much of a difference between sweet and dry corns in terms of the ultimate size of the plant or the strength of the stalk, but I have observed that dry corns grow faster when young, so I believe they stand a somewhat better chance of outgrowing pole beans before they get smothered.

Agree with denn - the 3 sisters fad has been discussed here numerous times and the search will pull up all the discussions for you to read if you wish. The consensus is it worked for the Indians because of the type plants they used. For the modern garden it is far less successful.

As to what to stake pole beans with? Again many discussions here with suggestions ranging from the standard bean towers made specifically for them to tripod tepees made from bamboo, tall trellis or cattle panels or wire and string trellis. Basically any very stable support that is 6' tall minimum and well staked.

Dave

Here in zone 7b/8a, I plant the corn 2-3 weeks before last frost & the beans the week after last frost. I wait a week to make sure no cold snap will kill the squash.
I have waited to plant everything late, at once & it did not do as well.
My corn is almost 6 feet now, beans are doing better then the squash.

heh heh. ok live and learn. I read some stuff about it and went for it. Should have checked here first. at the worst i think I'll have a nice squash harvest and maybe decent beans and a few corn. next year I'll use the space differently...
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