Bush versus pole beans

[MichaelS]

This year I'm going to plant pole green beans. I've heard they take up less room. They are also easier to pick. I hate bending over the bushes of beans to pick them, it's a back breaker. Anyone try pole beans?

 

[Desi]

We planted pole beans for the last couple of years. They take up so little room. They literally grow right up the fence. We grow cucumbers this way too. You don't have to bend over the bean plants to pick.

 

[Digger]

Yep, I like to plant them as part of the Three Sisters - corn, pole beans, and squash. The corn acts as a nitrogen fixer for the soil and becomes a steady post for the beans to climb. The squash grows along the bottom and helps to block out weeds from the sun, so they eventually wither and die. Plus squash has prickly leaves which help deter pests.

 

[Desi]

Wait... you plant all 3 together? Now that is something I have never heard of. I would love to hear more about it. So the beans grow up the corn?

 

[MichaelS]

That isn't something I've ever heard of either - 3 sisters. I'm going to have to look into that. That sounds pretty impressive. It also sounds like it would take less room in the garden.

 

[Qapla]

Just did a simple Google search for "Three Sisters - corn, pole beans, and squash" and it returned a plethora of links to discussions and descriptions of this type of gardening ... who knew