Three Sisters Garden Seed Assortment
Three sisters gardens are an old agricultural technique long used by the Indigenous people of North America, and especially by the Iroquois. This productive way of growing food is one of the main factors that contributed to the settlement of nomadic people a few thousand years ago. Squash, beans and corn were among the first crops to be domesticated 8,000-10,000 years ago in South America and they were cultivated in North America about 2,000 years ago. By the arrival of the Europeans, growing crops in sister’s gardens was a popular technique, especially along the St. Lawrence River, around the Great Lakes and in parts of the eastern United States.
Also known as companion planting, a three sisters garden is a traditional manner of arranging the garden in a harmonious way. It combines the three main crops that were cultivated in North America for thousands of years, squash, beans and corn. The corn plants provide support for the pole beans to climb on and the winter squash cover the ground and help control the weeds. Corn and beans are usually planted together in mounds formed by hilling and the squash is typically planted between the mounds. Indigenous peoples often cultivated three sisters garden arrangements with different varieties depending on the location, climate and different needs for trading.
Traditionally, the growing technique is known as ‘’Three Sisters’’ but a fourth sister is often added, the sunflower. The legend says that the fourth sister has the most important role, by being the guardian of the north, protecting from robbers who would soon come, the birds. Sunflowers have a heliotropic habit, the young heads follow the sun and more mature plants always face east. When sunflowers are planted north of the garden, it is the first thing birds will see in the morning and they will feed on the flowers instead of the corn.
Growing a four sisters garden has many advantages for home gardeners and is also a great way to feel more connected to the history of the land. The corn provides a natural pole for the beans and, in turn, they help stabilize the plants from high winds. The beans fix the nitrogen level in the soil, allowing for replanting the following year. The squash not only reduces the need for weeding, but they also lessen soil evaporation and make it more resilient to dry spells. The spiny squash plants also discourage predators from snacking on the corn and beans. All the crop residues from sister gardens can be dug back to increase organic build up and to improve the quality of the soil for the following seasons. The Iroquois even sometimes added rotten fish underneath the mounds to increase yields.
This assortment includes four extra-large packets of seeds to make a beautiful, productive and low-maintenance three sisters garden arrangement:
1- Bean, Pole, Kentucky Wonder, 60 seeds
2- Corn, Golden Bantam, 60 seeds
3- Squash, Winter, Waltham Butternut, 60 seeds
4- Sunflower, Mammoth Grey Stripe, 100 seeds
* These seeds will remain viable for 1 year if stored in a cool, dark place, ideally between 4 and 10⁰C. After that, the germination rate may start to go down.
OUR SEED GUARANTEE
You know that a lush, fruitful garden needs good soil, frequent watering, and sunlight to grow, but it’s the seeds that really make the harvest.
Picked and bagged for 2023 the vast majority of our seeds have germination rates of over 85%. The seeds are all-natural, non-GMO, non-hybrid, untreated, and open-pollinated for seed saving.
We have put a lot of thoughts into the design and packaging of our seed packets. Our seeds are all carefully packed in food grade kraft paper/aluminium zipper lock bags, and then are shipped in eco-friendly padded mailers.
We heat-seal each of our seed packet for even more protection from moisture, odour and light, allowing you to store your seeds for up to 3x longer than paper or plastic. Plant them all, germinate some indoors, save some for next season - it’s up to you!