d.z. 3 sisters garden..

[smiles 0]

According to Kanienkeha tradition, our world was created when an inhabitant of the upper world, Aientski (meaning Fertile Earth), was pushed through a hole in the sky by her husband.

As the skywoman scrambled to stop herself from falling, she clutched at the roots of corn, beans and squash, and fell with them in her grasp. She landed on a turtles back that was covered with mud from the waters. Every day Aientski walked around the edge of the turtle noticing the area of mud had grown and was getting bigger and soon plants of corn beans and squash began to grow.........
ever since then these three vegetables have become known as the Three Sisters, providers of the people, (or sustainers on the d.z.)

Anywho- traditional native planting reflect this union. The seeds of the corn, beans and squash are planted together in mounds 1' high and 20" wide in a sunny location. (We also added organic fertilizer and a bucket of compost to each mould.)
Centre the mounds 4' apart and flatten the tops. In the centre of each mound plant 5 or 6 corn kernels (* we planted Sugar Dots) in a small circle. When the corn reaches a height of 5-6" plant 6 pole beans (* Blue Lake Pole) in a circle about 6" away from the corn. A week later plant 7-8 squash seeds(* Delicata) around the edge of the mounds about 1' from the beans. (we planted strawberries also around some of our moulds)

A real space saver (intesive growing in a small space)The corn serves as a living trellis and supports the pole beans. In exchange, the beans, like all legumes, add nitrogen to the soil to feed the corn. The squash serves double duty. It acts as a living mulch covering the ground to hold in moisture, suppressing weeds and shading roots. It also discourages pests such as racoons that do not like the prickly spines that cover squash vines.

SMiles

[freeflir29 0]

Wow.......skydiving......beer...........boobies.........and now even ritual gardening. Isn't DZ.com amazing.