As you may or may not know, I tried to do the "Three Sisters" planting method this summer for corn, squash/pumpkins/gourds, and bean/peas. It didn't go so well. But I wanted to document some of my thoughts so that I can be more successful next year.
First, I should have started earlier. I started in late May and should start the corn the beginning of May. You can soak the corn seeds in warm water over night to start the germination process. The extra two weeks should really help get my corn going. I can cover the plants with a small plastic box at night to keep the temp up. Once the corn gets going I should plant the squash, pumpkins and gourds.
I need to keep on top of weeding. That seems to be the biggest detriment to the whole three sisters getting started. I plan on putting newspaper down between the mounds which should block out most of the weeds. With the newspaper in place I think I will have enough time to weed the mounds themselves by hand. Once all the plants are going, I will need to add compost to the top of the mound. The corn are heavy feeders and I don't think I gave them enough in the soil this year.
Next year will be better!
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