No, I need this kind of input. I haven't done this before but thought it might be worth a try.

If I do two 3' wide beds, how would I lay out the seeds? Or should I do these all totally differently? I'm totally open to any and all suggestions.

If you have never done one before and had success with it then I strongly encourage you to skip the idea.

It is one of those concepts that sounds good in theory but just doesn't work in practice because the crops used in an American Indian 3 sisters garden were very different in form and growth then the varieties are today. They were very tall, very sturdy corn varieties, winter squash varieties only and old fashioned slow growing flat bean varieties. As trev said everything was harvested all at one time in the fall.

There have been many past discussions here about the limitations and problems associated with the so-called 3 sisters garden and very, very, few success stories. The search will pull them up for you if interested. It honestly offers no benefits and you'll have far more success using traditional gardening methods.

I bought corn (peaches and cream), blue lake green beans, zucchini and a yellow summer squash (which I only want one plant of each because I think they're gross, it's the non-cooking people in my house who want them), two kinds of cucumbers, a pickling one and a slicing one. I plan on pickling the cucumbers and green beans so I want a lot of those.

That is an awfully large amount of crops for such a small space. You really need to reconsider your crop choices or add additional gardening space. ie: grow the squash and cucumbers in containers.

Sorry as I know this isn't what you wanted to hear.

Dave

I have a bigger garden, but wanted to limit these to that area. I have no problem at all with ditching this idea. This is why I've come to you all.

I want to do corn, need to do enough to pollenate, but not a ton. Want to do a LOT of grean beans and pickling cucumbers. I have a couple spots I can stick the squash so the roots are in the fertile garden soil, but they could spread out into other areas of the yard. Need to figure out the best way to setup the cucumbers.

I'd rather not do container gardening, so if anything, I'll plant less than deal with that.

I agree with people's three sisters comments; it's a really practical method but only for a very specific set of conditions. The tribes used to plant their winter storage crops and pretty much leave them to it.
I tried it this year and while production was ok, it wasn't great. I do recommend growing anasazi shelling beans though, they are very beautiful.

Never heard of this method. However, I have grown cucs intermixed with a rectangle of corn. This has worked well a couple times, but not always. Perhaps my fertilizing was off.

For the record, cucumbers like to climb. A lot. They can be grown on flat ground, but they will grab onto anything and everything nearby with their tendrils and do their darndest to strangle their unfortunate victims half to death if you let them.

You would be far better off, IMO, giving them something you want them to grab and climb than to let them find something for themselves.

I say go for it. I did last year, first try, and it produced so much food I still haven't finished eating it. (OK, the sweet corn went really fast.) The cucumbers didn't work out well, but the rattlesnake beans and the squash were great.

Weirdtrev is giving you good advice; I'd only change one thing: just one summer-squash plant per hill. They grew so fast that they stepped all over each other. I didn't get more production than I would have from one solitary plant.

Thanks to all of you for this discussion! Many helpful hints here. I'm trying the "3 Sisters" for the first time now, have bought the seeds, am preparing the beds, and will follow these suggestions.

I'm trying it, too, stitchem. What varieties are you planting?

stitchem, I'd be interested in hearing about your progress with this. Two years ago, we tried it with peaches and cream corn, blue lake beans and I don't recall what kind of summer squash. The squash died. The beans climbed the corn like crazy but never produced anything. The corn, however, was beautiful and tasty. We only did 3 sisters that one time though. Seemed like a great idea though. Good luck!

stitchem, I'd be interested in hearing about your progress with this. Two years ago, we tried it with peaches and cream corn, blue lake beans and I don't recall what kind of summer squash. The squash died. The beans climbed the corn like crazy but never produced anything. The corn, however, was beautiful and tasty. We only did 3 sisters that one time though. Seemed like a great idea though. Good luck!