The Three Sisters Garden is a method of companion gardening developed by Native Americans. They plant corn, beans, and squash together which forms a symbiotic relationship.
I have separate articles about these individual crops and thought it would be great if we tied that all together. I’m proud to have Native Heritage and I enjoy bringing my culture into my daily life.
When Did The Three Sisters Gardens Begin?
Squash, maize, and beans were domesticated in Mesoamerica between 5000 - 6000 years ago. Seeds were traded and it didn't take long before they were cultivated by indigenous people throughout North America. Different varieties were developed to meet regional micro-climates and soil conditions.
By the time European settlers arrived in New England the Iroquois and Wampanoag cultures had established an agricultural calendar based on these three crops.
Corn sprouting in a Three Sisters Garden.
The First Thanksgiving
These foods were shared with the colonists in what we refer to as the first Thanksgiving. The first Thanksgiving was about the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Native Americans coming together to give thanks for the bountiful harvest of 1621.
The Native Americans were instrumental in helping the Pilgrims survive in their new land, teaching them survival skills and providing them with food. In particular, the Native Americans contributed corn, beans, and squash to the feast, which were staples in their diet.
Read my article WHAT NATIVE AMERICANS TEACH US ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY
Sense of Community
Gardens were seen as communities of plants. The garden was part of the larger community of the village and the tribe and included everything that lived in the ecological community.
Many indigenous cultures planted extra, left out seeds, or planted wildlife gardens to help the animals that lived nearby. And I'm sure to divert them from their main crops.
Like the Three Sisters' philosophy of building community feeding local wildlife was also seen as helping your community. A way of sharing with your brothers and sisters.
It was that sense of community that lead the infamous Squanto to teach the early colonists how to grow crops in the quote "New Land". The practice in Europe at the time was to sow seeds by tossing them on the ground. This worked fine for crops like wheat and barley.
Native Americans deliberately planted seeds. In this way, they were choosing the best seeds and breeding new species.
Tisquantum (aka Squanto) teaches the Plymouth colonists to plant corn with fish
No-Till Planting
Traditionally the Three Sisters Gardens use a No-Till approach. It seeks to form a micro-ecosystem in which plants and animals foster. Mounds of dirt were created in which to plant the seeds. These mounds also helped hold the soil and the water in place lessening erosion.
Indigenous farmers did have methods to protect their crops. Scarecrows and fences were used.
The Wampanoag built platforms in the gardens. Children would sit on the platforms and sing to keep birds away from corn ears. Hiditsa children walk through the garden singing. They felt the singing was good for the plants and it also discouraged birds.
The Three Plants - Corn, Beans, and Squash
Corn was a staple crop and could be made into flour. Corn was planted in the middle of the mound.
Beans were planted around the corn. The beans climbed up the corn and also fixed nitrogen in the soil.
Squash was planted on the outside of the mound. The Viney varieties of squash weaved around the mound and shaded out weeds. The prickly leaves of the squashes also inhibit raccoons and deer.
Check out my YouTube Channel for organic gardening and wildlife videos.
How To Grow A Three-Sisters Garden
To grow a three-sisters garden, first, you need to prepare the soil by adding compost or manure to enrich it. No need to add dead fish but fish emulsion is my favorite organic fertilizer!
2. Create small hills. Build the mound so it's about 4-6 inches high and eighteen inches across. Level off the top. Each mound should be about four feet apart.
3. Plant three corn seeds in the center of each hill.
4. When the corn is about six inches tall, plant 4 pole beans around the corn, making sure to leave enough space for them to climb.
5. Finally, plant 3 squash seeds in a circle around the corn and beans. The squash will act as a natural mulch, helping to keep the soil moist and prevent weeds from growing.
Vining squash species work best. I will say, based on personal experience, the squash can make it a bit hard to harvest the beans!
As the corn and beans grow, they will provide support for each other, while the squash will keep the soil healthy. With proper care, a three-sisters garden can be a beautiful and productive addition to any garden.
Native American Garden Fertilizers
Native American communities often added fertilizers to their gardens.
In the Northeast and Northwest small dead fish were placed near the seeds.
Crop Rotation
Burning
Composting animal and humane manure
Three Sisters in Small Gardens
Also, it's perfectly ok to plant your three sisters in a raised bed. Just follow the same principles. You may just plant one or two hills.
Often the corn is planted first so it can get a few weeks' starts on the beans. I must be a lazy gardener because I've used this method and started everything together.
You can also transplant the corn and then direct seed beans and squash. This works well if you have a shorter growing season.
Other Plants
Sunflowers were also planted around the three sisters' gardens in many locations. They acted as a pollinator and drew birds away from the corn.
In Three Sisters Gardens among the Tewa and other southwestern tribes Rocky Mountain Bee Plant was grown to encourage pollinators in the fields.
What Crops Were Developed By Native Americans?
Many of the world's biggest cash crops were developed by Indigenous Americans. Today as much as 3/5 of the world’s cash crops and food supply originated with Indigenous Americans.
Native Americans from North, Central, and South America contributed greatly to world agriculture through their work in domesticating wild plants.
Here is a list of some of them with links to my growing articles where I have them.
chocolate (cacao)
cranberry
Maple syrup
peanuts
sweet potato
tobacco
wild rice
Modern Native American farmers are still working today to breed new species of plants and produce foods for their communities. The Cherokee have developed several varieties of corn that grow well in the South East. The Hopi have developed corn where the seed can be planted 8 inches deep to receive soil moisture.
Author, Ame Vanorio, is the founder and director of Fox Run EEC. She has Native American Cree Heritage and loves to garden. Ame teaches classes online and has authored several books.
Who can resist sweet corn on the cob at a summer barbeque? How about a bowl of home-grown popcorn for movie night? Corn is a great addition to any garden.
Corn does require a bit of extra care to protect it against pests and disease. Unfortunately, lots of our wildlife friends and those pesky insects love corn too!