Sister bean fixes, or makes available in plant form, nitrogen from the air.
Sister corn provides the support for Sister Bean’s trailing vine.
Sister squash provides ground cover to hold moisture and maintain healthy soil environment while deterring animal invaders with its spiny stems.
The fourth sister can be Sister Sunflower or Sister Bee Balm (aka Bergamot, Horsemint and Oswego Tea). This sister supports the beans, lures birds from the corn with her seeds, and attracts insect pollinators.
Cucumbers, watermelons, and squash are also good substitutes for pumpkin, and the corn can be substituted amaranth.
An important caveat: This layout works great for growing dry corn and dry beans. If, however, you’d like to grow sweet corn and snap beans, you should consider an alternative. When growing dry corn and beans, everything is ready for harvest at the same time. But, fresh corn and beans will be ready before squash. You’re probably not going to want to carefully step around your pumpkins or watermelons.
Sister corn provides the support for Sister Bean’s trailing vine.
Sister squash provides ground cover to hold moisture and maintain healthy soil environment while deterring animal invaders with its spiny stems.
The fourth sister can be Sister Sunflower or Sister Bee Balm (aka Bergamot, Horsemint and Oswego Tea). This sister supports the beans, lures birds from the corn with her seeds, and attracts insect pollinators.
Cucumbers, watermelons, and squash are also good substitutes for pumpkin, and the corn can be substituted amaranth.
An important caveat: This layout works great for growing dry corn and dry beans. If, however, you’d like to grow sweet corn and snap beans, you should consider an alternative. When growing dry corn and beans, everything is ready for harvest at the same time. But, fresh corn and beans will be ready before squash. You’re probably not going to want to carefully step around your pumpkins or watermelons.