Re: Corn spacing within 3 sister's

lisaphoto 4/4/2012, 12:32 pm

Nonna, honestly I haven't ever had many of the ones that I am growing this year. I am growing:

Bon Bon squash
Table queen acorn
Table ace acorn
Tatume (not winter I know)
Blue Banana
Long Island Cheese
Compact Early Butternut
Compact Delicata
and I plan on growing Tromboncino to use as a summer squash and try it as a winter squash as well

I also may plant instead of a couple of the squashes a watermelon or two. They can sprawl out of the box to the north. I have sugar bowl hybrid and golden midget

I have tried to grow watermelons and winter squashes before, with little success. Hopefully I will have better luck this year. Our area had a very wet and cool spring and summer last year, and it seems to be the opposite this year so far.

lisaphoto 4/4/2012, 12:34 pm

Thinking about it, I think the only winter squash I have eaten were pumpkin (from a can), spaghetti squash, and I think I have had butternut somewhere (maybe in a pasta)

Nonna.PapaVino 4/4/2012, 1:21 pm

Oooh, Lisa, I've heard about the Long Island Cheese! It's supposed to be very good, though I don't remember how large it gets. Our favorites last year were Potimarron (close relative to Japanese Kuri), and an Australian Butter, which looks kinda like the Long Island Cheese. let me know if it's a buttery tasting squash, like Aussie Butter. Bet it is. You will love the trombochino, we've grown it for over 10 years. Picked young, it far outstrips zucchini in both taste and texture. Because all the seeds are in the enlarged end, the flesh from the shaft when cooked does not puddle down into mush like zucks. Shredded, mixed with a beaten egg, a tablespoon flour and seasoned with salt, pepper, a touch of garlic, and thyme, it fries up into a wonderful patty that can be a side dish or, in small pattys, with salsa, a tasty appetizer. Enjoy!

AvaDGardner 4/4/2012, 3:36 pm

The thing that gets me is how much space squash take, and how to fit that in with SFG. If 3 sisters uses squash to cover the ground, prevent weeds, keep it moist, etc, then you'd want it on the ground and not vertical...wouldn't you? That many squash plants looks like you'll be stepping over fruits & vines and you'll be putting up or giving away squash like crazy this summer.

Lisa, did you see the pictures of FamilyGarden's '3 sisters family jungle' in the other thread? And that was with dirt mounds, not SFG. A definite forecast of potential!

Nonna, thanks for tip on the trombochino. I love squash but find zuchs boring. I planted cozumelle (sp?), which looks like a striped zuch to give it a try. And I hoped it would appease the DH who wants zuchs...and corn!

Will definitely look for the trombone squash!

(When 75% of the family has orthodontics why do they want CORN?!?)

lisaphoto 4/4/2012, 6:03 pm

Nonna, I have heard a lot about eating the tromboncino young. I read you can eat it as a winter squash, and actually the Dervaes family were on Private Chefs of Beverly Hills or something, and the chef made a winter squash soup with a tromboncino squash that was about 5 foot long. I looked really good, but I have yet to hear anyone who said they grew them to eat as a winter squash. Have you ever eaten them like that?

Nonna.PapaVino 4/4/2012, 6:41 pm

No, Lisa, we have not eaten the trombocino at their full maturity. For winter squashes, my vote goes to potimarron or Australian butter, both very smooth fleshed, and delicious for pies, soup, curries, and side dish (when rubbed with butter, marmalade, a grating of fresh ginger and baked). MMMMM. However, one year I did let a trombocino get away from us, left it in the garden, and over the winter it decomposed into the most unusual skeletal sculpture of its former self. Enjoy your upcoming SFG bounty! (BTW, when we first bought seeds many years ago, the trombocino went by the name "zuccheta".)

FamilyGardening 4/4/2012, 7:37 pm

make sure you check to see if the squash you are planting is a bush type or climbing type.....

we were really surprised on how big our bush acorn got....they were huge plants

do you mind if the squash sprawl (sp?) out over the box is another thing to think about when deciding on how many plants to plant and where to put them.....

oh....cant wait to see pics.....i love watching gardens grow Very Happy

its so fun!

hugs

rose who is still pondering how she is going to set up her three sisters box this year

lisaphoto 4/5/2012, 7:25 am

I think the only bush type I am putting in there are labeled compact bush. So I will put them in the corners.

**Turan** 4/5/2012, 1:02 pm

My experience is that I need a wider block than just 2 feet wide for proper pollination. So I would suggest doing 3 across and doing fewer squash. But wind flow would affect that and maybe some other factors.
Squash is much more productive than corn. I usually plant 3 squares with 2 in each square and then let them roam. From that I get 2 laundry baskets and more of squash.
But no matter what it looks like a good project that will make food Laughing

Carleen 4/9/2012, 11:12 pm

I planted japanese hull-less popcorn at 4 per square and had a nice crop. A nice thing about 4 per is that the stalks prop each other up in the wind. The wind has laid my crops down every year; I tie them up and they still produce. I want to try 3 sisters this year, but don't quite understand Mel's instructions. Does anyone have a visual?

AvaDGardner 4/10/2012, 3:09 am

Carleen wrote:I planted japanese hull-less popcorn at 4 per square and had a nice crop. A nice thing about 4 per is that the stalks prop each other up in the wind. The wind has laid my crops down every year; I tie them up and they still produce. I want to try 3 sisters this year, but don't quite understand Mel's instructions. Does anyone have a visual?

Hi Carleen. You might want to just review the thread...we're trying to figure out ways to do it too!

Corn spacing within 3 sister's - Page 2 396615

Welcome to the forum!

lisaphoto 4/10/2012, 10:40 am

Carleen, last year there was a post titled 3 sisters thursday where people had visuals of their gardens.

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