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The results (and lessons learned) from our first attempt at companion planting corn, bean, and squash (Three Sisters Method) using a first-year Back to Eden garden.
The “Back to Eden” Method of Permaculture Gardening
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1aJOz3mEHI
The Ruth Stout Method of Permaculture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfi-n0Oq38E
Companion Planting Carrots, Radishes and Onions in a Ruth Stout (HAY-ONLY) Garden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMkn5b0jHhE
Garden Update: Companion Planting Carrots, Radishes and Onions in Hay (Ruth Stout Method)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4F8TpTNiFQ
Planting Potatoes in a Ruth Stout Permaculture Garden (QUICK and EASY)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dexx9kKVWeo
Results from our NO DIG and NO WATER potato experiment (Ruth Stout Method)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf0Q2YlQOUU
Corn and beans should be planted as soon as the soil temperature is 10C at 7am. Look ahead 3 days in the forecast, if there is a big rain or a cold rain coming do not plant. 3 days after seeding is a critical time for corn. Cold snap, especially on non hybrid open pollinated corn is a real issue. I would plant the beans a lot closer to the base of the corn plants too. I've had good luck planting the corn on 1ft spacing with 3 beans around each corn plant. The beans almost immediately find the corn trellis and follow it up as each leaf emerges. Beans have a very poor root system and nodualtion, especially if you don't inoculate will occur primarily only on the tap root. Nitrogen while it does move vertically well doesn't move horizontally much in the soil as once thought so position of the plants are critical. With your no-til system AMF populations will be good and nitrogen transfer will be increased but the closer the better. This past year I had amazing success skipping the squash and instead planting cucumbers under the corn/beans as the third sister. Easily the best cucumbers I've ever tasted. Our pumpkins were close by and the vines found their way into the 3 sisters and while at first I thought I was losing yield the pumpkins actually extended my bean harvest well into November in Eastern Ontario as the large leaves took the brunt of the killing frosts ans spared the beans on the soil surface for one more set of flowers to survive.
✅The beans do not release nitrogen into the soil when they grow, there association with bacteria benefits them and make them more self sufficient in nitrogen. Its only when the plant die that nitrogen is released to the soil.
I really thought that one of the Lessons Learned would be about how good corn-fed raccoons taste.
Those things are very destructive, fo sure. Soon, you’ll gain new insight to just how smart they are, too. If you figure out how to fence them, I gotta know…
The corn was starving for nitrogen from what I can see
I think that's pretty cool that the raccoons got to eat the excess. Friends and family that live in the woods, hehe.
Excellent video. In the rest of the continent this method of planting corn, beans and squash is known as "milpa". Thank you very much.
How do you protect your corn from birds? I'm a first year gardener and found that many of my ears are shredded and half the cob is picked clean. Some of them are higher up than what I think a raccoon could reach, but I'm not positive it's just birds. It also seems to be only the cobs that are ready to be picked within a few days (the one with brown silk). Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!
You can avoid the raccoons by planting the squash around the corn, they hate stepping over its leaves and branches
thank you for all that u do!
First, shoot raccoons with a gun, not a camera. Second, try squash in a hill of young compost. They thrive in warm soil.
Raccoon and squirrel corpses make for good fertilizer to bury under a fruit tree sapling @.@
Thanks for sharing back to eden farming experience!
Of all the farming videos on YouTube, you have the best format. Great videos!!
I took a huge leap and ended up covering half our lot in woodchips. Covered in fall hope for some positive usability our first year just from breaking the soil to dig since I have pretty hard clay that dries out and makes planting and surviving storms and heat difficult.
Great review. I started looking at back to Eden because my corn almost washed away in down pours and storms and I want to keep my soil, protect roots, keep moisture in the heat of summer and more easily plant in our soil. I'm starting my seeds indoors and printed out my schedule for my garden from now till August. First year trying for two planting and harvest seasons. If u have advice on rotation
.22 might solve that racoon problem.
At Cherokee nation we plant in mounds and plant everything on each mound. Plus that looked like sweet corn, maybe try growing flint corn. As far as timing goes after 1week of corn growth, you plant the beans and 1-2weeks after that, you plant the squash.
There is no requirement that corn plants brush up against each other. Even if they do, that won't assure that pollen transfers from the tassels down to the silk. You need a fairly large block of plants just to assure that wind does the transfer. If you put all your stalks in a long line, most of the pollen will just blow off into the distance and never come near another plant.
Love it
(NATIVE AMERICANS ANCIENT METHOD) of farming,what a legacy for the world to follow.
Your idea of success is different. Smaller cobs and less time seems like a win to me
I am rewatching all your videos just for fun. My mom just passed away at age 94. She would say every so often, “Let’s see what Derrick and Paula are up to.” She loved all your videos. So thanks for teaching us and entertaining us.
The corn that got decimated by raccoons was the star attraction?
Also the three sisters was originally ment for crops to be dried on the plant. Not eaten fresh.
Its simple, eat the coons, i have a recipe for raccoon stuffed with sweet potatoes
A better example of Back to Eden Gardening is Mark McOmber in Pennsylvania. Who is featured in the Back to Eden film. He shows starting the garden. He has been doing it for a little over 10 years. Paul Gautschi. Should take a new area. And show how it changes over the years. Gardeners do not realize Paul Gautschi garden is over 30 years old. They get discourage when they do not see the same results their first year. or even the second year. So they say it want work in my part of the country. You can have the best looking compost. But until you get it tested. You have no clue what is in it Healthy plants need NPK Sulfur, Calcium, Magnesium, and 13 trace minerals to really shine. Not all wood chips are created equal. Each tree stores different amounts of minerals in their wood. Mark said his first year. They failed to plant in the soil under the chips. He had to add blood meal to rescue the garden. Paul says it takes 3 years to really start seeing the change. This the title of Mark McOmber's Y.T. channel. Living Life 11:28 Home & Garden Check it out.
I have tried grass, straw, and leaves.. They let the soil dry out. And they do not attract fungi like Woodchips. Fungi is the key. In my area Grass , Straw ,and leaves do not produce soil. Like wood chips. My summer time temps average in the high 90's. Over 100 heat index. Normally Paul Gautschi's day time temps ever get in the 90's. Get your compost, and soil tested. And add what is needed.
Note on the three sisters method, I believe this works best when using storage varieties of these crops. So think popcorn, dry pole beans, and winter squash.
You need special beans to climb on corn. Not every does it.
Hi. Love your video. I had a suggestion for you 3 sister planting. Did you plant bush beans or pole beans? There is no stopping pole beans if the get into the ground in good time. They grow 6 to 8 feet tall even in our zone 3 climate. Bush beans will never grow more than 24 inches in height. Thanks again for your well made videos.