Companion Planting: Basic Concepts and Resources

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Abstract: Companion planting is based on the idea that certain plants can benefit others when planted in nearproximity. The scientific and traditional bases for these plant associations are discussed. A companion planting chartfor common herbs, vegetables, and flowers is provided, as is a listing of literature resources for traditional companionplanting. An appendix provides history, plant varieties, and planting designs for the Three Sisters, a traditionalNative American companion planting practice.

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By George Kuepper & Mardi Dodson July 2001

ATTRA is a project of the National Center for Appropriate Technology

Traditional Companion Planting

Companion planting can be described as theestablishment of two or more plant species inclose proximity so that some cultural benefit(pest control, higher yield, etc.) is derived. Theconcept embraces a number of strategies thatincrease the biodiversity of agroecosystems.

Generally, companion planting is thought of asa small-scale gardening practice. However, inthis discussion the term is applied in its broad-est sense to include applications to commercialhorticultural and agronomic crops. ATTRAhas another publication, Intercropping Principlesand ProductionPractices, that provides additional informationon larger-scale applications.

While companion planting has a long history,the mechanisms of beneficial plant interactionhave not always been well understood.Traditional recommendations (see summary

chart provided as Table 1) used by gardenershave evolved from an interesting combinationof historical observation, horticultural science,and a few unconventional sources. For ex-ample, some of the recommendations forcompanion planting, made around the middleof this century, were based on the results ofsensitive crystallization tests (1).

Originally developed by Dr. EhrenfriedPfeiffer, sensitive crystallization testing entailsthe mixing of plant extracts with select saltreagents like sodium sulfate or copperchloride. The resulting solution is placed in acontrolled environment chamber and allowedto evaporate slowly. The process results in aprecipitate that often takes on beautifulgeometric forms and patterns. Thecharacteristics of the pattern are studied andinterpreted to establish whether the plants arelikely to interact well with each other (1).Sensitive crystallization appeals to practitio-ners of Biodynamics™ (BD) and others whotake a more metaphysical approach to nature.Conventional science is much more skeptical ofthis process as a means to evaluate plantassociations.

Contents:

Traditional Companion Planting............................................1Companion Planting Chart ...................................................2The Scientific Foundations for Companion Planting ...............3Options For System Design..................................................4References .........................................................................4Resources...........................................................................4Appendix: Ancient Companions ...........................................6

ATTRA// Companion Planting: Basic Concepts & Resources

Table 1. COMPANION PLANTING CHART FOR HOME & MARKET GARDENING(compiled from traditional literature on companion planting)

CROP: COMPANIONS: INCOMPATIBLE:

Asparagus Tomato, Parsley, Basil

Beans Most Vegetables & Herbs Onion, Garlic, Gladiolus

Beans, Bush Irish Potato, Cucumber, Corn, OnionStrawberry, Celery, Summer Savory

Beans, Pole Corn, Summer Savory, Radish Onion, Beets, Kohlrabi,Sunflower

Beets Cabbage & Onion Families, Lettuce Pole Beans

Cabbage Family Aromatic Herbs, Celery, Dill, Strawberries, PoleBeets, Onion Family, Beans, TomatoChamomile, Spinach, Chard

Carrots English Pea, Lettuce, Rosemary, DillOnion Family, Sage, Tomato

Celery Onion & Cabbage Families,Tomato, Bush Beans, Nasturtium

Corn Irish Potato, Beans, English Pea, TomatoPumpkin, Cucumber, Squash

Cucumber Beans, Corn, English Pea, Irish Potato,Sunflowers, Radish Aromatic Herbs

Eggplant Beans, Marigold

Lettuce Carrot, Radish, Strawberry, Cucumber

Onion Family Beets, Carrot, Lettuce, Beans, English PeasCabbage Family, Summer Savory

Parsley Tomato, Asparagus

Pea, English Carrots, Radish, Turnip, Onion Family,Cucumber, Corn, Beans Gladiolus, Irish Potato

Potato, Irish Beans, Corn, Cabbage Family, Pumpkin, Squash, Tomato,Marigolds, Horseradish Cucumber, Sunflower

Pumpkins Corn, Marigold Irish Potato

Radish English Pea, Nasturtium, HyssopLettuce, Cucumber

Spinach Strawberry, Faba Bean

Squash Nasturtium, Corn, Marigold Irish Potato

Tomato Onion Family, Nasturtium, Marigold, Irish Potato, Fennel,Asparagus, Carrot, Parsley, Cucumber Cabbage Family

Turnip English Pea Irish Potato


The Scientific Foundations forCompanion Planting

While conventional agriculturalists and BDpractitioners may disagree over the validity ofsensitive crystallization research, there isgeneral agreement today on the validity ofseveral mechanisms that create beneficial plantassociations:

√ Trap cropping. Sometimes, a neighbor-ing crop may be selected because it is moreattractive to pests and serves to distract themfrom the main crop. An excellent example ofthis is the use of collards to draw the diamondback moth away from cabbage (2).

√ Symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Legumes—such as peas, beans, and clover—have theability to fix atmospheric nitrogen for theirown use and for the benefit of neighboringplants via symbiotic relationship with Rhizo-bium bacteria. Forage legumes, for example,are commonly seeded with grasses to reducethe need for nitrogen fertilizer. Likewise,beans are sometimes interplanted with corn.On request ATTRA can provide additionalinformation on Rhizobium inoculation.

√ Biochemical pest suppression. Someplants exude chemicals from roots or aerialparts that suppress or repel pests and protectneighboring plants. The African marigold, forexample, releases thiopene—a nematoderepellent—making it a good companion for anumber of garden crops. The manufacture andrelease of certain biochemicals is also a factorin plant antagonism. Allelochemicals such asjuglone—found in black walnut— suppress thegrowth of a wide range of other plants, whichoften creates a problem in home horticulture.A positive use of plant allelopathy is the use ofmow-killed grain rye as a mulch. Theallelochemicals that leach from rye residueprevent weed germination but do not harmtransplanted tomatoes, broccoli, or many othervegetables.

√ Physical spatial interactions. Forexample, tall-growing, sun-loving plants mayshare space with lower-growing, shade-toler-ant species, resulting in higher total yieldsfrom the land. Spatial interaction can also

yield pest control benefits. The diverse canopyresulting when corn is companion-plantedwith squash or pumpkins is believed todisorient the adult squash vine borer andprotect the vining crop from this damagingpest. In turn, the presence of the prickly vinesis said to discourage raccoons from ravagingthe sweet corn.

√ Nurse cropping. Tall or dense-canopiedplants may protect more vulnerable speciesthrough shading or by providing a windbreak.Nurse crops such as oats have long been usedto help establish alfalfa and other forages bysupplanting the more competitive weeds thatwould otherwise grow in their place. In manyinstances, nurse cropping is simply anotherform of physical-spatial interaction.

√ Beneficial habitats. Beneficial habitats—sometimes called refugia—are another type ofcompanion plant interaction that has drawnconsiderable attention in recent years. Thebenefit is derived when companion plantsprovide a desirable environment for beneficialinsects and other arthropods—especially thosepredatory and parasitic species which help tokeep pest populations in check. Predatorsinclude ladybird beetles, lacewings, hover flies,mantids, robber flies, and non-insects such asspiders and predatory mites. Parasites includea wide range of fly and wasp species includingtachinid flies, and Trichogramma andichneumonid wasps. Agroecologists believethat by developing systems to include habitatsthat draw and sustain beneficial insects, thetwin objectives of reducing both pest damageand pesticide use can beattained. For detailed information on estab-lishing beneficial habitats, request the ATTRApublication Farmscaping to Enhance BiologicalControl.

√ Security through diversity. A moregeneral mixing of various crops and varietiesprovides a degree of security to the grower. Ifpests or adverse conditions reduce or destroy asingle crop or cultivar, others remain to pro-duce some level of yield. Furthermore, thesimple mixing of cultivars, as demonstratedwith broccoli in University of California re-search, can reduce aphid infestation in a crop(3).


Options For System Design

Agronomists use the term “intercropping” todescribe the spatial arrangements of compan-ion planting systems. Intercropping systemsrange from mixed intercropping to large-scalestrip intercropping. Mixed intercropping iscommonly seen in traditional gardens wheretwo or more crops are grown together withouta distinct row formation. Strip intercropping isdesigned with two or more crops grown to-gether in distinct rows to allow for mechanicalcrop production. No-till planting or trans-planting into standing cover crops can beconsidered another form of intercropping. Formore information on no-till planting, requestthe ATTRA publication Conservation Tillage.

References:

1) Philbrick, Helen and Richard Gregg. 1966.Companion Plants & How To Use Them.The Devin-Adair Co., Old Greenwich, CT.113 p.

2) Boucher, Jude. 2000. Setting a Trap.American Vegetable Grower. January. p. 20, 22.

3) Daar, S. 1988. Mixing Broccoli CultivarsReduces Cabbage Aphids. IPM Practitio-ner. May. p. 12.

Resources:

Traditional Companion Planting

Bob Flowerdew’s Complete Book ofCompanion Gardening. 1995. By Bob Flowerdew.Kyle Cathie, London, GB. 176 p.

Available online from Trafalgar Square Booksfor $24.95 plus $5 shipping and handlinghttp://www.trafalgarsquare books.com

Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of CompanionPlanting for Successful Gardening, 2nd edition.1998. By Louise Riotte. Storey Communications,Pownal, VT. 226 p.

Available for $15 plus $3 p&h from:Acres USAP.O. Box 91299Austin, TX 78709800-355-5313512-892-4448 FaxEmail: [email protected]

Companion Plants and How To Use Them. 1966.By H. Philbrick and R. Gregg. Devin-Adair Publish-ers, Old Greenwich, CT. 113 p.

Available for $9.95 plus $4.50 p&h from:Bio-Dynamic Farming and GardeningAssociation, Inc.Building 1002B, Thoreau Center, The PresidioP.O. Box 29135San Francisco, CA 94129-0135888-516-7797415-561-7796 FaxEmail: [email protected]://www.biodynamic.com

Great Garden Companions: A Companion-PlantingSystem for a Beautiful, Chemical-Free VegetableGarden. 1998. By Sally Jean Cunningham. RodalePress, Emmaus, PA. 278 pages.

Available for $13.56 plus $4.48 shipping andhandling from:Amazon Bookshttp://www.amazon.com/

How To Grow More Vegetables Than You EverThought Possible On Less Land Than You CanImagine, 5th edition. 1995. By John Jeavons. TenSpeed Press, Berkeley, CA. 228 p.

Contains an extensive companion planting chart.Available for $16.95 plus $4.50 p&h from:Bountiful Gardens18001 Shafer Ranch Rd.Willits, CA 95490-9626707-459-6410

Related ATTRA publications

! Intercropping Principles and ProductionPractices

! Farmscaping to Enhance Biological Control! Introduction to Permaculture! Biodynamic Farming & Compost

Preparation! Conservation Tillage


J. Howard Garret’s Organic Manual. 1993. By J.Howard Garret. Lantana Publishing Co., Dallas,TX. 203 p.

A fine general guide on organic growing thatfeatures a brief table of companion herbs and thepests they repel on page 48. Available for $18plus $3 p&h from:Acres USAP.O. Box 91299Austin, TX 78709800-355-5313512-892-4448 FaxEmail: [email protected]

Raising With The Moon: The Complete Guide toGardening and Living by the Signs of the Moon.1993. By Pyle & Reese. Down Home Press,Asheboro, NC. 147 p.

Contains both companion planting charts and alisting of insect repellent plants.Available for $14 plus $3 p&h from:

Acres USAP.O. Box 91299Austin, TX 78709800-355-5313512-892-4448 FaxEmail: [email protected]

Rodale’s Successful Organic Gardening: CompanionPlanting. 1994. By McClure and Roth. RodalePress, Emmaus, PA. 160 p.

Available for $14.95 plus $4.50 p&h from:Bountiful Gardens18001 Shafer Ranch Rd.Willits, CA 95490-9626707-459-6410

Roses Love Garlic: Companion Planting and OtherSecrets of Flowers. 1998. By Louise Riotte. StoreyCommunications, Pownal, VT. 240 p.

Available for $ 11.96 plus $4.48 shipping andhandling from: Amazon Bookshttp://www.amazon.com/

Beneficial Habitats

To avoid redundancy in our publications, anyoneseeking further information on beneficial habitats isencouraged to request ATTRA’s publication titledFarmscaping to Enhance Biological Control. Thispublication also provides additional references forfurther research. Other ATTRA publications thatmight be helpful for designing and managingbeneficial habitats include Biointensive IntegratedPest Management and Overview of Cover Crops andGreen Manures.

Intercropping Research

ATTRA’s Intercropping Principles and ProductionPractices and Farmscaping to Enhance BiologicalControl publications are good sources for basicinformation on intercropping. The followingpublications should prove useful.

“Border effects on yields in a strip-intercroppedsoybean, corn, and wheat production system.”1996. By T.K. Iragavarapu and G.W. Randall.Journal of Production Agriculture. Vol. 9, No. 1.p. 101-107.

Provides a nice literature review of research tothat time on intercropping, highlighting themultitude of factors causing variability inresults.

Multiple Cropping. 1976. ASA Special PublicationNo. 27. American Society of Agronomy, 677 So.Segoe Rd., Madison, WI. 378 p.

“Strip intercropping for biological control.” 1993.By Joel Grossman and William Quarles. The IPMPractitioner. April. p. 1–11.

An excellent synopsis of intercropping. The IPMPractitioner, published 10 times per year, is abenefit of membership in the Bio-IntegralResource Center (BIRC). Annual membershipfor individuals costs $35. Contact:BIRCP.O. Box 7414Berkeley, CA 94707Tel: 510-524-2567

By George Kuepper & Mardi DodsonATTRA Program Specialist &Project Intern, respectivelyJuly 2001


Ancient CompanionsAn Appendix to Companion

Planting: Basic Concepts & Resouces

By Mardi Dodson

Introduction

For centuries, many Native American tribesthroughout North America have cultivatedcorn, beans, and squash. The term “ThreeSisters” was primarily used by the Iroquoiswho live in the Northeastern United States andCanada. These crops were considered to bespecial gifts from Great Spirit and were be-lieved to be protected by the Three Sisters—spirits collectively called the De-o-ha-ko,meaning “our sustainers” or “those whosupport us” (1).

This ancient style of companion planting hasplayed a key role in the survival of all peoplein North America. Grown together these cropsare able to thrive and provide high-yield, high-quality crops with a minimal environmentalimpact. Corn, beans, and squash have aunique symbiotic relationship in a NativeAmerican garden. Corn offers a structure forthe beans to climb. The beans, in turn, help toreplenish the soil with nutrients. And the largeleaves of squash and pumpkin vines provideliving mulch that conserves water and pro-vides weed control.

Corn

Corn is considered the most important of allNative American crops. Originating in SouthAmerica and Mexico, corn was introducedduring the Mississippian Period (600 A.D. to1450 A.D.) to North American tribes via anintricate series of trade networks. Corn, beans,and squash combine to create a nearly perfectmeal loaded with essential vitamins andminerals (2). In addition to its nutritionalvalues, all Native American tribes that grewcorn considered it a sacred and spirituallyvaluable plant.

Varieties

Choosing the right varieties of corn is essentialto the success of a Three Sisters garden. Thetall, sturdy heirloom varieties work bestbecause they are most capable of supportingthe beans. There are a number of NativeAmerican heirloom corn varieties to choosefrom. Traditionally, most of the corn grown

The Legend of the Three Sisters

The term “Three Sisters” emerged from theIroquois creation myth. It was said that theearth began when “Sky Woman” who lived inthe upper world peered through a hole in thesky and fell through to an endless sea. Theanimals saw her coming, so they took the soilfrom the bottom of the sea and spread it ontothe back of a giant turtle to provide a safe placefor her to land. This “Turtle Island” is nowwhat we call North America.

Sky woman had become pregnant before shefell. When she landed, she gave birth to adaughter. When the daughter grew into ayoung woman, she also became pregnant (bythe West wind). She died while giving birth totwin boys. Sky Woman buried her daughter inthe “new earth.” From her grave grew threesacred plants—corn, beans, and squash. Theseplants provided food for her sons, and later, forall of humanity. These special gifts ensured thesurvival of the Iroquois people (2).

Contents:

Introduction ...............................................6Corn...........................................................6Beans.........................................................8Squash.......................................................8Cultivation and Planting Designs ..................8Summary....................................................12References .................................................12


by Native Americans is dry field corn, which isused in flour production. Dry field corn isharvested late in the season when the ears havedried on the stalk.

Dry field corn is divided into three categories,dent, flint, and flour corns. Dent corns areadapted best to the Southeast and the Midwest.Dent corn has a distinctive dimple-like dent ontop of the kernel when it is fully dried. A dentcorn that grows well most anywhere in theUnited States is the Cherokee Blue and Whiteof the Southeast. Reid’s Yellow Dent is alsowidely adapted. Bloody Butcherproduces blood-red ears of corn on stalks thatcan reach from 10 to 12 feet (2, 3).

Flint corn grows best in the northern plainsregion. The kernels of flint corn do not shrinkwhen they are dry. A popular flint corn isIndian Ornamental with colors ranging frompurple to yellow. Two popular flint cornvarieties are Fiesta and Little Jewels. LittleJewels is a unique, “mini” ornamental withfour-inch-long, multi-colored ears and purplehusks (3).

Flour corns usually have thinner-shelled ker-nels filled with soft white starch. Flour cornswere developed in the arid Southwest. Theyare less likely to succeed in coolernorthern regions with short growing seasonsand in moist, humid areas where they aresusceptible to a fatal rust disease. Hopi Pink isa short, drought-resistant corn, with kernelsthat range in color from cranberry to light pink.This variety has plump, thin-shelled kernelsthat grind easily into fine flour. A flour cornthat works well in northerngardens is Mandan Bride. This variety is alsodrought-tolerant, with red, blue, yellow, pink,and purple spotted kernels (3).

Corn can be harvested earlier in the seasonwhen it is still “green corn.” Green corn isharvested when the corn is still in the “milk”stage, when the kernels are at their sweetestand can be eaten fresh. Varieties that are sweetwhen young are Blue Clarage, BloodyButcher, and Black Mexican/Iroquois. Flourcorns are usually not eaten in the green cornstage. Two exceptions to this rule are Anasaziand Mandan Red. (3). See Table 1.

Table 1: Colorful Corn Varieties

Variety Type ColorCan BeEatenFresh

Comments

Anasazi Flour Multi ✔✔✔✔ Ancient Southwestern variety, drought-tolerantBeasley's Red Dent Dent Red Heirloom from IndianaBlack Mexican/Iroquois Sweet Blue-Black ✔✔✔✔ Smaller variety from the NortheastBlack Aztec Sweet Blue, Black, Purple ✔✔✔✔ Originated from southern MexicoBloody Butcher Dent Red ✔✔✔✔ Northeastern United States, Virginia areaBlue Clarage Dent Blue ✔✔✔✔ Ohio/West VirginiaBronze-Orange Sweet Bronze-Orange ✔✔✔✔ Selected by Dr. Alan KapulerCherokee Blue & White Dent Blue and White ✔✔✔✔ Grown throughout North AmericaCherokee White Flour White Grows 12-15ft. TallFiesta Flint Multi Developed in New HampshireHopi Pink Flour Pink Short, drought-tolerant, Southwestern varietyHickory King Flour Yellow 12 ft. tall heirloomIndian Ornamental Flint Multi Widely grown by North American IndiansLittle Jewels Flint Multi 4-inch-long corn developed in New HampshireMandan Bride Flour Multi Originated from the Mandan tribeMandan Red Flour Reddish-Black ✔✔✔✔ Developed in WashingtonOaxaca Green Dent Green Southern Mexico, makes green flourRainbow Inca Sweet Multi ✔✔✔✔ Developed by Dr. Alan KapulerRainbow Indian Flour Multi Developed by Dr. Alan KapulerTexas Honey June Sweet Yellow ✔✔✔✔ Heirloom, sturdy 7-8ft. StalksTuscadorea/Iroquois White Flour White Tall, Iroquois variety *Adapted from Amazing Maize! Cultivate Colorful Corns by Eric Rosenthal (3).


Beans

Beans provide a high-quality protein foodsource that combines well nutritionally withcorn. Beans also play a valuable role in theThree Sisters garden. Through a symbioticrelationship with rhizobium bacteria, beanshelp to take nitrogen from the air and convertit into a usable form for next year’s crop.

Varieties

Pole beans are best adapted to directly climbthe corn stalk as opposed to sending runnersacross the ground. The Scarlet Runner varietyis a popular heirloom pole bean that is famousfor its large clusters of bright red flowers.Genuine Cornfield consistently produces inthe heat of Southern summers. True Cran-berry, a dark red bean with a meaty textureand a nutty chestnut-like flavor, also performswell in the South and in the Northeast. Corn-field, unrelated to Genuine Cornfield, doeswell in the Pacific Northwest because it ma-tures before the fall rains come. A favorite inthe arid Southwest is Hopi Purple, a purplebean with black crescent moon stripes (2).

Squash

Growing low to the ground, squash and pump-kin serve as living mulch. The large leavesblock out much of the sunlight, thus reducingweed seed germination.Allelopathy may be an additional factor inweed suppression(4). (Allelopathy refers tochemical secretions from a plant which haveadverse or phytotoxic effects on some weedspecies).

Varieties

Most any variety of squash will work in aThree Sisters garden. In addition to the con-temporary hybrid varieties, there are still sometraditional varieties available. In the North-east, the Penobscot and Abenaki still growLong Pie (a.k.a. Indian or Golden Oblong)pumpkin.

This pumpkin looks like a fat zucchini with thetexture of a pumpkin. It has a long

storage life and usually doesn’t turn orangeuntil after it is harvested. A disease-resistantvariety suited for the Southeast is theConnecticut Field. This very vigorous NativeAmerican heirloom yields large, bright orangepumpkins. Mayo Blusher is a very sweet, palegray pumpkin that blushes pink when ripe.Cushaw is a gourd-like squash that has beengrown in the Southwest by the Pueblo Indiansfor storage containers since pre-Columbiantimes. Other varieties of squash also grow wellin the Southwest depending on the amount ofmoisture available (2).

Cultivation and Planting Designs

Planting designs and cultivation practices varyaccording to climatic region. Garden styleswere developed mainly out of practical consid-erations, such as moisture availability, climate,and the length of the growing season. TheWampanoag garden style works well east ofthe Mississippi. Hidatsa gardens were devel-oped to thrive in the climate of the northernPlains, while the Zuni waffle gardenwasdesigned to conserve water in the arid South-western climate.

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Figure 1: Circular Wampanoag Garden

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Drawing by Mardi DodsonConcept taken from Native American Gardening by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac


Wampanoag Three Sisters Garden

It was the Wampanoag gardens that enabledthe early settlers of Jamestown to survive andthrive in the New World. Squanto was aWampanoag who “taught the newcomers toplant maize in little hills and fertilize eachmound with an alewife, a species of fish” (5).With this efficient and intensive gardeningstyle, each family could sustain their needs onabout one acre of land. Many of the tribes ofthe Northeast, including the Iroquois, used theWampanoag garden design.

Planted without plowing or tilling, thetraditional Wampanoag garden includes corn,beans, squash, and sunflowers. The corn andbeans are planted in mounds, with squashplanted between the mounds. The sunflowersare planted along the north edge of the garden,so that they do not cast a shadow on the othercrops (see Figure 1). When the sunflowershave bloomed and the squash and beans haveflowered, the Wampanoag Three Sisters gardenbecomes a stunning cluster of red, yellow, andwhite flowers against a textured backdrop ofshimmering greens.

First, the raised corn and bean mounds must beconstructed. These small mounds are laid outin rows with 4 feet between the centers of themounds (see Figure 1). Each mound is

about 4 inches high, with a wide base (about18 inches in diameter) that narrows to a flat-tened top (about 10 inches across). To conservemoisture, a depression with a lip may beformed at the top of each mound (6). Thefinished mounds have a remarkable resem-blance to miniature moon craters.

When the mounds are ready, plant four cornseeds about 6 inches apart and 3 inches deep inthe top of each mound. Once the corn hasgrown to a height of 4 inches or more, plantfour beans seeds halfway down the slopes onthe sides of each mound (see Figure 2). Allowthe bean vines to entwine themselves aroundthe cornstalks for support. The bean vines maybe pruned if they get too aggressive (6).

Squash seedlings are planted at the same timeas the beans. Construct rounded mounds 3inches high and about 1 foot across at the base.The squash mounds are staggered between themounds of corn and beans (see Figure 1).Traditionally, four seedlings are planted in thetop of each mound. Theseedlings are arranged to represent each of thefour sacred directions (see Figure 3). Bothwinter and summer varieties are planted,including pumpkins, acorn squash, and sum-mer crookneck squash (6).

Sunflower seeds are planted at the same timeas the corn. The smaller-flowering commonsunflower, Helianthus annus, is traditionallygrown in a Wampanoag Three Sisters garden.

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Figure 2: Wampanoag Corn & Bean Mound

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Figure 3: Wampanoag Squash Mound



The sunflower mounds are locatedat the north edge of the garden (seeFigure 1). The mounds are spacedabout three feet apart from center,with three seeds planted (one seedper hole) atop each mound. Thesunflowers seeds are traditionallyharvested after the first frost (6).

Hidatsa Gardens

In the northern plains, the Hidatsa,Mandan, and Arikara peoplesgardened along the floodplain of theMissouri River in what is now calledNorth Dakota. Most of the tribes inthis region used the Hidatsa gardendesign (see Figure 4). Hidatsagardens are designed to have alter-nating, staggered rows of corn andbeans, with sunflowers growingalong the north edge of the garden.Squash is planted after every fourthrow of corn and beans and aroundthe east, south, and westedges of the garden (6).

Sunflowers are planted as soon as the threat offrost has passed. As in the Wampanoag gar-den, three sunflower seeds are planted in smallmounds 3 feet apart along the north edge ofthe garden. The Hidatsa garden differs fromthe Wampanoag garden when it comes to seedarrangement—all three seeds are planted in onehole. Hidatsa varieties of sunflower produceblack, red, white, and striped seeds (6).

Plant squash indoors in peat pots or seed flatswhen the sunflowers are planted in the garden.Before planting in the garden,prepare the squash mounds (about 15 inchesacross at the base), with 4 feet between thecenters of the mounds. The squash moundsare located along the east, west, and southedges of the garden in alignment with the rowsof beans (see Figure 4). Squash seedlings areusually transplanted when they are about 4inches tall and have put on their first set of trueleaves (about two weeks after the corn is

planted). To protect them from theheavy spring rains, four seedlings areplanted on the sides of the mound insets of two, 12 inches apart (see Figure5) (6).

In the Hidatsa garden, there areusually four corn mounds per row ofcorn. Note that the rows of corn arein alignment but are staggered incomparison to the beans (see Figure4). Hidatsa corn mounds areconstructed in the same way as theWampanoag corn and beans mound.The differences are that only corn isplanted in these mounds and eight

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Figure 4: Hidatsa Garden Design

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seeds, instead of four, are planted in thetop of each mound (see Figure 6). Grow-ing corn together in bunches offers extrasupport and protection from wind andrain damage.

Hidatsa flint corn is planted in May inNorth Dakota when the leaves of theGooseberry shrubs have emerged andfully formed. Corn is planted a week ortwo after the sunflowers have beenplanted. This flint corn is a semiaridvariety with a growing season of about70 days. It is advisable to research whichcorn variety works best for your zoneand climatic conditions (7).

Beans are planted at the same time ascorn. In a Hidatsa garden, beans are plantedseparately from the corn in their own mounds.The bean mounds are located between therows of corn in a staggered, alternating pattern(see Figure 4). The mounds are rounded ovals,about 4 inches tall by 7 inches wide by 14inches long. Traditionally, two people workedtogether to plant beans. The first person madesix holes in the south-facing slope of the beanmound. This is done in one swift motion bythrusting both hands into the soil with thethumb and first two fingers extended to maketwo sets of holes spaced 6 inches apart (seeFigure 7). The

second person follows behind and plants oneseed in each hole. A total of six seeds areplanted in each bean mound (7).

Zuni Waffle Garden

The Zuni live in the Four Corners area of theSouthwestern United States. This arid climateat altitudes over 7,000 feet makes gardening aspecial challenge. The Wampanoag andHidatsa garden designs use raised mounds tokeep the root systems from being waterlogged.In contrast, the focus of this garden is waterconservation. The waffles are about 12 feet by12 feet. Each individual square is indented andsurrounded by a high rim. In each square, asingle crop or combinations of crops may beplanted (see Figure 8). This garden design willwork anywhere in the country where drysummer conditions are experienced.

Traditionally, the crops are planted intensivelywith five to eight corn seeds in each hole tocreate clumps of corn similar to those in theHidatsa garden. Corn seeds are planted 4-8inches deep in light sandy soils and about 4inches deep or less in heavier clay soil. Beansand squash have the same planting depths andspacing requirements as corn (8). The samenumber of beans (4-8 seeds) are planted aroundeach clump of corn, one seed per hole. Onlyone or two squash plantings (4-8 seeds in eachhole) are added to each waffle (see Figure 8)(3). As with the other two designs, sunflowersmay also be planted along the

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Figure 6: Hidatsa Bean Mound

Bean seeds are planted on the south-facing slope of the mound. One seedis planted per hole, with a total of six seeds planted in each mound.


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Figure 7: Hidatsa Corn Mound

In a Hidatsa garden, eight seeds are plantedatop each mound.

Drawing by Mardi DodsonConcept taken from Native American Gardening by

Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac


the soil with nutrients. And the large leaves ofsquash and pumpkin vines provide livingmulch that conserves water and provides weedcontrol. This ancient style of companionplanting has played a key role in the survivalof all people in North America. Grown to-gether these crops are able to thrive and pro-vide high-yield, high-quality crops with aminimal environmental impact.

References

1. Eames-Sheavly, Marcia. No date. The ThreeSisters: Exploring an Iroquois Garden. CornellUniversity Cooperative Extension. p. 7.

2. Erney, Diana. 1996. Long live the Three Sisters.Organic Gardening. November. p. 37−40.

3. Rosenthal, Eric. 1993. Amazing maize!Cultivate colorful corns. Organic Gardening.March. p. 30−35.

4. Fujiyoshi, Phillip. 1998. Mechanisms of WeedSuppression By Squash (Cucurbita spp.)Intercropped in Corn (Zea mays L.). Disserta-tion University of California Santa Cruz.

edges of the Zuni Waffle garden. Helianthusmaximilianii, a small sunflower with flowerheads about 3 inches wide, is most commonlygrown in the Southwest (9).

Summary

Native American tribes of North America havemade enormous contributions to the foods weeat today. The dynamic trio known as theThree Sisters not only thrive when they areplanted together, they offer a well-balanced, nutritious meal. Over the centuries,many plant varieties and gardening styles weredeveloped for each major climatic region. TheWampanoag (Northeast and South), Hidatsa(Plains), and Zuni waffle garden (Southwest)offer a range of gardening styles to accommo-date most growingconditions found in North America.

Corn, beans, and squash have a unique symbi-otic relationship in a Native American garden.Corn offers a structure for the beans to climb.The beans, in turn, help to replenish

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Figure 8: Zuni Waffle Garden

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Drawing and Design by Mardi Dodson


5. Gabarino, Merwin S. and Sasso, Robert F. 1994.Native American Heritage. Waveland Press,Prospect Heights, Illinois. p. 308

6. Caduto, Michael J. and Burchac, Joseph. 1996.Native American Gardening. FulcrumPublishing, Golden, Colorado. p. 70−93.

7. Wilson, Gilbert L. 1917. Agriculture of theHidatsa Indians. Minnesota Historical SocietyPress, St. Paul, Minnesota. 129 p.

8. Talavaya Center. No date. Talavaya Seed andPlanting Manual. Espanola, New Mexico.p. 5−11.

9. Buchanan, Carol. 1997. Brother Crow, SisterCorn. Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, California.119 p.

The ATTRA Project is operated by the National Center for Appropriate Technology under a grant from theRural Business-Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. These organizations do not recom-mend or endorse products, companies, or individuals. ATTRA is located in the Ozark Mountains at theUniversity of Arkansas in Fayetteville at P.O. Box 3657, Fayetteville, AR 72702. ATTRA staff members preferto receive requests for information about sustainable agriculture via the toll-free number 800-346-9140.

The Electronic version of Companion Planting:Basic Concepts & Resources is located at<http:// www.attra.org/attra-pub/complant.html>.


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Companion Planting: Basic Concepts and Resources

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