The Three Sisters

The Three Sisters Guild is a simple plant community or “guild” that saves space in the garden and creates a symbiotic relationship between the members of the community. The Three Sisters Guild contains corn, a vining member of the legume (Fabaceae) family, and a ground covering vine (typically summer or winter squash). It has been used by native people of the Americas to improve yields and reduce maintenance for centuries.

The corn provides support for the pole beans to grow on. The squash provides ground cover, preventing erosion and suppressing weeds. The leguminous or nitrogen fixing beans pull nitrogen for the air that can be made available to the corn and the squash. The three plants working together not only reduce maintenance but also increases the productivity of the garden space.

You can get a little creative, too. Replace the corn with sunflowers, or the squash with pumpkin or water melon.

The functions served by the members of the three sisters guild can be found in plant communities through out the natural world. Each plant will have it's own niche to fill: nitrogen fixer, protection from harsh elements, ground cover, etc. By utilizing the natural habits of each species, we can create more productive yields in our gardens, reduce the labor required to grow a garden, and keep our gardens healthier eliminating the need for chemical pesticides and fertilizers.