Hi I was excited to get some painted mountain corn to plant this year for my three sisters garden. Ive never raised them before. But I had nt realized that they only grow 5 feet tall. Seems kinda short to grow beans on. I am also growing sweet corn so maybe Ill use those in the three sisters garden and painted mountain elsewhere. I am on the fence whether this is right variety for me as I like idea of 3 sisters.. Maybe I wont bother keeping trying to save their seed and get different variety next year like bloody butcher. Any corn varietal recommendations for 3 sisters?
Do, there is no try --- Yoda
No one is interested in something you didn't do--- Gord Downie
5 feet is a bit short for beans to really climb well, you're right to question it. Sweet corn at 8-10 feet makes much more sense for the three sisters. Painted Mountain is worth growing separately though, the colours are genuinely worth it.
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I'm also growing St-Hubert soup peas (traditional variety my French Canadian ancestors used for pork and pea soup) and maybe I could substitute them for beans?
Do, there is no try --- Yoda
No one is interested in something you didn't do--- Gord Downie
I like how when the beans get to the top of shorter corn, it grows up and then flops over and grabs onto the next plant and they travel from plant to plant, locking them together in a matrix that resists e.g. raccoons trying to pull the stalks down by spreading the force over several plants.
That is an awesome observation Christopher! After my last post I did some more research on the St-Hubert pea and they need a long growing season. In a 3 sisters garden you need to wait a few weeks before planting the vining plant so the corn can get a head start. I dont have that kinda time so my idea wont work. Back to beans it is. Enough with the over thinking things Im just gonna plant the beans with the painted mountain and see what happens . Experiments=science=learning! Ill report back.
Do, there is no try --- Yoda
No one is interested in something you didn't do--- Gord Downie
As long as the beans don't overtop the corn before it pollinates, no problems.
My general rule is plant the beans when the corn sprouts, but honestly the last few years I just plant the beans whenever I feel like it. This year the beans got planted before the corn was anywhere near sprouting. I doubt it will matter much. We get midsummer wind storms and the beans act like a sail and pull the corn over.
You could try peas though. Much less aggressive than beans and they do fairly well with corn. Slower to grow though so I plant the peas first and the corn later.
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