Three Sisters Garden

The Three Sisters Garden combines corn, climbing beans, and squash in a traditional companion planting pattern. It is productive, space-smart, and visually dramatic in a sunny backyard bed.

What to grow in a Three Sisters Garden

How to design it

Choose a full-sun area with rich, well-drained soil. Plant corn in blocks or small mounds so it pollinates well, then sow beans after the corn is 6 to 12 inches tall. Set squash around the outer edges, allowing vines to spread beyond the bed.

Care through the season

Water deeply and consistently, especially while corn is tasseling and squash is setting fruit. Mix compost into the soil before planting, then side-dress corn with a balanced vegetable fertilizer if growth is pale. Replant beans in early summer if the first planting slows down.

Tips

Use bush beans if you want less climbing pressure on young corn, or pole beans once corn stalks are sturdy. Harvest summer squash often, while it is small and tender. Give pumpkin and winter-squash vines room to roam.

General planning ideas for US home gardens; adjust plant choices to your climate, space, and local frost dates. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.