Building my own Three Sisters Garden

Gardening has been a fascination of mine for a long time. A passion unrequited by my life as I oftentimes live in apartments with no yard. Though lately I've decided not to let this deter me. I have developed an extensive gardening library, learned a lot, and I still can't get enough.

I remember one of my first lessons as a new gardener came to me after I gave away some large zucchini to a few friends. But large zucchini are kind of duds. Mainly because the best zucchini are picked young and small. Large zucchini are oftentimes woody and tend to have less flavor (turns out this is true of many vegetables). Luckily, one of my friends pointed this out to me after also giving me a recipe for zucchini boats.

I love gardening because I savor the ability to learn by doing and I enjoy being outside where the unpredictability of factors like weather can leave all your previous planning in the dust. I love the endless amount of research and information available and digestible by the average gardener but also the complex and specific research available which is tailored to your local environment and conditions. The research is endless and it seems that every hour of research fruits into another lush tomato or watermelon (ha gardening pun). I also just like watching the plants grow day after day reaching for the sun, adding more foliage, flowering, growing fruit and then wilting and drying into fodder for the next year's crop.

So when some land became available for gardening I jumped at the chance, extensively researching seeds, seed companies, types of gardens, companion planting, irrigation systems & layouts, climate & weather zones, etc.

My first step was to scout the site of my future garden and protect it. I knew the land available to me for my garden was frequented by deer, ground squirrels, jack rabbits, raccoons and other wildlife. So I partnered with a few family friends to get help enclosing a 100' x 75' area with an 8' fence which we topped with a solar-powered electric lines.

Next was digging the plots. We used a small tractor to dig about 2'-3' down into the earth and then mixed the existing compacted clay soil with nitrogen-rich composted soil which was composed mainly of old horse manure. I ended up with 3 plots that were 10'x30' each.

The next step was optional, but definitely worth it. I covered the rows with black plastic sheets to kill fungi, bacteria, viruses, and to get the unwanted seeds in the soil to germinate. I kept the cover on the rows for a two weeks effectively blocking out the sun and killing the weed seedlings. This was a lifesaver a few weeks down the road when spring growth ramped up and much of the weeding had been abated.

In anticipation of hot summer days and long stretches of time I wouldn't be able to get up to the garden, I set up an irrigation system with a timer and several adjustable dribblers.

During this time I had become enthralled with the idea of companion planting to bring about a more balanced garden ecosystem. Companion planting is the close planting of different plants that enhance each other's growth or protect each other from pests. And I knew I wanted to utilize this complex set of rules and interactions to enhance my garden. I hoped this would eliminate the need for pesticides, fertilizers, etc.

After comparing options and garden configurations, I landed on the Three Sisters garden method with my own addition-watermelon! This method is based on Native American planting methods (generally attributed to the Iroquois) which generally includes intermingling corn, beans and squash. In the end my three sisters garden included sweet corn, popping corn, green beans, soup beans, pumpkin, winter squash, and watermelon. Below are some images of the seeds I chose. Photos courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company.

In the Three Sisters Garden each plant has its own purpose which benefits the other plants.

The corn grows tall allowing a structure for the climbing beans to utilize.

The beans grow up the corn and establish Rhizobium bacterial colonies which fix nitrogen from the air and bring it to the soil providing extra nutrients to both the beans and the surrounding plants. (I wonder how far away the neighboring plants have to be to benefit from the Rhizobium efforts?). The beans also help tie the corn stalks together so that they hold strong and stay upright in stronger winds.

The watermelon and squash grow quickly but stick close to the ground. Their large and abundant foliage provide ample ground cover which keeps the soil cool and moist. The leaves also block sunlight which prevents weed growth.

I chose seeds from the Baker Creek Heirloom seed co., a seed company based in Missouri which I have come to love for their heirloom varieties. I discovered a local branch called the Seed Bank in Petaluma, CA (which I discovered on a trip to buy paintball supplies).

The whole experience was a huge success and garnered a lot of attention from friends and neighbors. At one point during the summer, there was a wildfire that swept through the property burning the dry grasses that had been building up the past few years. Luckily no people or property were damaged besides a few fence boards, but it did require the assistance of the local fire department. Once the fire was put out, the crew of fireman were walking the grounds to ensure embers hadn't traveled to the rest of the property and they stumbled across my garden. The men were thoroughly impressed and inquired about the growing methods, seed supply, fertilizer, irrigation, etc to which the answer was heirloom seeds, regular watering, and horse manure. I don't think they completely believed it but were impressed none-the-less.

Below are some photos documenting the summer and produce collected from the garden.