Uploaded December 2023 | Updated September 2026, 5 days ago
The 3 Sisters is a really interesting example of companion planting or intercropping, combining maize, squash and beans in one integrated planting, which was developed and used by some indigenous peoples of North America. I didn’t think it would grow well in the climate like Ireland, but this past season I tried growing this combination both in one of the polytunnels, and in an outside area, and I think there are 7 key issues I would want to address before growing the 3 Sisters again.
0:00 A famous companion planting
1:07 What is the 3 sisters?
3:00 Sweetcorn lacked enough structure
4:37 Beans were too weak and too strong
6:01 Needed appropriate squash varieties
7:24 Too many plants for the space
8:55 Too much fertility and not enough
10:00 Pollination an issue inside and outside
11:27 Yield was too low
12:43 Try again?
14:49 Having spare capacity
Help me develop these gardens and make more videos through regular contributions patreon.com/redgardens
Or use paypal.me/redgardens as a simple, once-off way to support this project and the time and energy that goes into making videos. Thanks so much!
Part of the Cloughjordan Ecovillage, Tipperary, Ireland http://www.thevillage.ie
The 3 Sisters is a really interesting example of companion planting or intercropping, combining maize, squash and beans in one integrated planting, which was developed and used by some indigenous peoples of North America. I didn’t think it would grow well in the climate like Ireland, but this past season I tried growing this combination both in one of the polytunnels, and in an outside area, and I think there are 7 key issues I would want to address before growing the 3 Sisters again.
0:00 A famous companion planting
1:07 What is the 3 sisters?
3:00 Sweetcorn lacked enough structure
4:37 Beans were too weak and too strong
6:01 Needed appropriate squash varieties
7:24 Too many plants for the space
8:55 Too much fertility and not enough
10:00 Pollination an issue inside and outside
11:27 Yield was too low
12:43 Try again?
14:49 Having spare capacity
Help me develop these gardens and make more videos through regular contributions patreon.com/redgardens
Or use paypal.me/redgardens as a simple, once-off way to support this project and the time and energy that goes into making videos. Thanks so much!
Part of the Cloughjordan Ecovillage, Tipperary, Ireland http://www.thevillage.ie
