Posted on 03/26/2022 7:19:11 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
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Companion Planting Case Study:
The Three Sisters Garden
A perfect example of companion planting is the “three sisters garden”, which is a combination of corn, pole beans, and squash that has been grown together by Native Americans for centuries (possibly longer).
Think about what each plant needs to grow into a healthy vegetable.
Corn requires plenty of space to grow.
Beans need a support system for the stalks to grow straight.
Both squash and corn thrive on nitrogen, which typically does not flourish in sandy soils.
Now, let’s think about how the vegetable compensate for their growing deficiencies.
Corn offers string beans the sturdy support to grow straight. Think of a cornstalk as a naturally developing trellis that ensures string beans remain upright.
String beans absorb nitrogen from the surrounding air and replenish nitrogen-deficient soil. The upward growing vegetables also act as a bind that keeps the Three Sisters close together, further enhancing the space you have to grow other crops or raise livestock.
Sprawling squash creates copious amounts of mulch that cools and moistens the soil.
Squash leaves also contain prickly stems that thwart the best attempt of critters such as raccoons from enjoying sumptuous meals.
https://waldenlabs.com/the-ultimate-companion-planting-guide-chart/
Last year I put piles and wires in a section of my garden. They are installed very similar to grape vine trellises and are about 6 feet high.
They worked wonderful for tomatoes, especially the cherry types.
Had no disease problems, cleaned up all debri and dropped fruit.
I’m concerned about crop rotation.
Thinking that this year I will alternate with cukes and pickles on a third of the trellises.
Looking for suggestions. Any ideas welcome.
How many years can I plant tomatoes in the same soil?
LOL...piles = poles..
“How many years can I plant tomatoes in the same soil?”
Here’s a bunch of ideas for tomato rotation in a home garden:
https://www.theseasonalhomestead.com/crop-rotation-problem-solving-tomatoes-and-other-nightshades/
Due to space and the large number of tomatoes I grow (24-36, depending on my canning needs) I don’t rotate them as ‘properly’ as I should, but due to the disease-resistant varieties I plant and proper spacing of the plants - giving them plenty of airflow - I have little disease problems. I also make sure they are pruned properly and that they have good fertilization. I put crushed egg shells and bone meal in each planting hole to start with, then a top dressing of the same once they start blooming and one more shot of Algo-Flash or a tomato-specific fertilizer when the fruit starts coming.
In other words, I don’t worry TOO much about rotating my tomato beds, but I do switch between beans, tomatoes, zucchini and peppers, which is about all I grow besides flowers. Garlic has its own dedicated bed, as does asparagus and strawberries.
Opinions vary - some here might be very organized in their crop rotations. The key is spacing, fertilizing well and soil condition, IMHO. Your mileage may vary! :)
One of the best books on companion planting “Carrots Love Tomatoes.” by Louise Riotte. Very popular, also in pdf form.
Putting in a bigger, more diverse garden this year.
Also, in early spring I added blueberries, strawberries and raspberries.
Zone 9b.
Have pole beans and potatoes up already. Cabbage growing well.
Thanks, Diana! What a nice chart!
That is a good book!
They came up quickly, bloomed quickly, then the heat got 'em within a day. Very sad! Usually I'm able to enjoy them for at least a week.
My Lucifer lily is starting to bloom:
Never can have enough, as far as I'm concerned.
Here's a beautiful one I bought last year that is just starting to open.
"George Burns"
Diamond Beach, Iceland.. Icebergs which fill a nearby glacier lagoon wash
up on shore, creating a stark contrast with the volcanic black sand.
I incorporated a little Soil drench in the expanded jiffy pots to prevent damping off:
And put some Mosquito bits (BT Isrealiensis) in the expanded pots to kill any larval fungus gnats.
(The gnats are attracted to wet peat, and Yes...they eat the roots and when hatched fly from plant to plant spreading fungal disease which could be causing your damping off!)
I started the trays in a dark basement on top of a timed heating pad. (Low) The tomatoes and crucifers started germinating within 3 days. (No picture) I almost waited too long to bring them up to a cold back porch.
I stopped using the heating pad. I used a timer with a couple of lights I had on hand 3" to 4" above, and also placed the trays in a south window. Nothing special on the lights. (Refuse to spend $250 on a greenhouse Light Array!) Did buy a 4600 K LED shop light from Home Depot, about $25 at the time. Had an old shop florescent with one plant grow tube.
When they came up from the basement they were just beginning to suffer from "reach". I removed some of the lankier seedlings and left the slower germinating shorter plants. I have opened the window to allow some breeze in to move them around and encourage the stalks to thicken and strengthen up> When I work outside I put the tray outside in direct sunlight and breeze for the same reason. (They do not stay outside because I do not want curious squirrels or chipmunks tearing them apart looking for seeds.)
As reproduced today by my marginal camera:
I will thin until the shortest. strongest, stockiest seedlings are left. Once the stalks strengthen I can use a very dilute balanced fertilizer to encourage growth, and move to a higher phosphate content fertilizer to strengthen roots. After about 2-3 weeks I will move to a 1/2 dilution balanced fertilizer. Note that my peppers and some cilantro have just begun to sprout. (They really need warmer weather to germinate. )
Note: Some Multicolor Chinese amaranth seeds seen in the 12"x12" tray in the back ground grew so quickly that they will probably fall over and be too thin to survive. I will probably need to replant them.
**When I finally move the plants in the Jiffy pots out to the garden I will carefully remove the fabric on the outside, or at least at the bottom, and spread the roots out when planting to allow them to develop normally.
I am replacing 'Topaz Jewel' (small Rugosa) which didn't make it last year for some reason. Just ordered that, today, along with Popcorn seed for Beau.
Looks great! Nice set-up!
I remove the Jiffy Pellet netting if I’m planting something in them directly into the ground, too.
Tomatoes and peppers go from the Jiffy Pellets into 4” pots and out to the greenhouse for a few weeks prior to going in the ground about mid-May.
I just love the things. No muss, no fuss!
That Lion’s Mane is gorgeous! I’d love to see one in Real Life. Just boring Morel and Oyster mushrooms for us around here. ;)
It was considerably less mess and bother this year at seed planting time! I will use them again.
The local Lawn center manager I talke to said they use Fox Fertilizer’s potting soil for starting their seeds and flowers. Did they use their own mix at Jungs?
Depending on the weather I might be using the 4x4 pots too, at least for the peppers! (April 15-20 is generally the last frost date here...) If the soil warms up I might fill up a few of my Wall o Waters and plant tomatoes directly in the garden.
I will probably start asking around the lumber yards for broken bundles of shingles for the mud pathway in between my rows. (Yr Mothers idea!)
That is a beautiful rose!
My mother had a yellow “cabbage” rose that produced huge, perfect flowers - I haven’t been able to find one like it. I also can’t find a “Cary Grant” rose that my landscaper said is to die for.
This year, I will replace my white rose - that a gopher got! It was so old I can’t remember if it was a JFK or Pope John Paul.
Yes, they take a lot of care and pampering...but oh the results!
“Fox Fertilizer’s potting soil...”
I think that’s Fox Farm soil, and it’s quite expensive but supposedly very, very good.
I was never on the ‘greenhouse growing’ end of Jung’s - just the shill who ordered, displayed and sold the plants, trees and shrubs and unloaded semi after semi after semi after semi in the InSaNiTy that is SPRING in a Garden Center. ;)
I used to keep track for my crew of what we sold on each insane day. I think it was Mother’s Day Weekend and we sold something like 2,467 hanging baskets, and one other time I remember us selling 42,000 four-packs of veggies and annuals in a weekend, ($1.49 each!) as well as something like 20,000 pots of herbs at $2 each. My cashiers were simply amazing; they were like a well-oiled machine! :)
Yeah, it was crazy - but I loved every minute of it! :)
P.S. I’m NOT going back though, LOL!
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