At Dorsey High School we are recreating a Three Sisters Garden as practiced by Native Americans hundreds of years ago.
The three sisters are: corn, pole beans, and squash. Typically they are all interplanted in a hill (or mound) to compliment one another.
Corn provides support for beans, which in turn provides nitrogen for the corn and squash. The squash grows along the ground acting like living mulch suppressing weeds and minimizing evaporation.
The corn and squash should be planted first, followed by the beans once the corn is about 8-12 inches. The beans are planted in a ring around each corn stalk.
One practice we will not be recreating is the planting of fish or eel with our seeds. Native Americans often did this to provide extra nitrogen to the soil. Thankfully we now have a product known as fish emulsion, which is an organic fertilizer that supplies the same nutrients as the raw variety.
For more information on the Three Sisters garden
Please see:
1) Creating a Three Sister Garden-Discovering a Native Trio from Kidsgardening.com and;
2) Celebrate the Three Sisters: Corn, Beans and Squash from Reneesgarden.com.
