Garden Experiments... Part 1

I wanted to try and grow a Three Sisters Garden this season, a Native American inspired practice of interplanting corn, beans and squash. So, I dedicated a small 4 x 4 bed to try it out. The corn has been truly fascinating to watch... look how tall it is!

Right now it's silking... isn't it beautiful? I understand the ear worms are pretty hard to control - I've already had a few on the leaves and tassels - so I don't have high hopes for much of a harvest. But nonetheless, I'm really enjoying watching it grow.

Below the corn is lemon squash; a vining squash, or pumpkin, is more traditional in a three sisters garden. But given my tiny dedicated plot, I went with a more compact summer squash. Here is the first product, looking just like a lemon! Many more are coming too. In the same bed, I also planted Dragon Tongue beans. But for some reason, they are really poking along. Plus, they are bush beans (duh)... and I really wanted to watch beans climb the corn, so I've just sown a few fast-growing purple pole beans. It's late, but maybe it will still work out. I'll keep you posted!

Experiment number two: on my back deck, I'm growing cucumbers upside down. Last spring, most of my crop was devoured by pickle worms... so to try and escape this fate, I planted two Topsy Turvy planters with Beit Alpha cucumbers and they are doing great - not a worm in sight up there! This vine grew all the way down to the ground, and is now climbing up a trellis. I've got a few more in a huge pot too... we'll see.

A couple other experiments are taking form out in my garden. I'm not ready to share these yet, but I will. Just as soon as I figure out what I'm doing! How about you... any new ventures in your garden?