4 ms·

There's apparently no strong scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of the "three sisters". Here's a blog post discussing the issue; https://www.gardenmyt

• scythe 3y ago
  But they do provide a relatively nice variety of nutrients in three high-yield crops while minimizing administrative overhead (one field instead of three). We should not assume that preindustrial farmers had the same priorities that we do.
  • kaitai 3y ago
    Yeah, this was an interesting but odd article posted by oftenwrong above you. When I had opportunity to visit a demonstration farm run by some Wampanoag folks, they commented that the method (once established) really cut down on weeding and maintenance (although with weeds of European origin, more weeding is needed in the present day than 500 years ago). The article from gardenmyths is quite focused on whether there is scientific evidence that the Three Sisters together increase yield, as you point out, while the emphasis on reduced weeding that the gardeners I talked to resonates with me (non-inferior yield + less weeding? sign me up!). In my own experience, having the squash (or melons) shade the soil helps immensely with water retention, weeding, and overall health of the other plants as long as they're tall enough to get the sunlight. Other commenters talking about how much corn you need are correct. I have spent my time with a paintbrush or a paper bag hand-pollinating corn, and it's kind of a pain. If you prefer a more decorative version, sub in sunflowers for the corn. You can buy sunflower varieties optimized for eating and get a good snack that way.