How to Plant Pole Beans in Corn

When planted together, pole beans, corn and winter squash are known as the "three sisters." These crops were grown in tandem by Native American tribes, such as the Iroquois. Corn provides a trellis for the pole beans to climb, while the beans add nitrogen to the soil and stabilize the corn stalks during a wind storm. Add squash, like pumpkins or spaghetti squash, to protect the soil.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Prepare the area. Cultivate rows 30 inches apart, taking into account the 9-inch seed-spacing when determining the length.

2. Plant corn seeds at 1-1/2 to 2 inches deep, 9 inches apart. Loosely cover with soil and water until the ground is moist but not soaked.

3. Wait two weeks after planting the corn and plant one pole bean per corn plant, at a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Maintain an adequate seed spacing of about 4 to 5 inches between the corn and pole bean. Loosely cover with soil and water.

4. Plant winter squash with the corn and pole beans, if desired. Plant one squash for every 10 corn stalks, at the depth and spacing required for the specific squash variety.

Tips & Warnings

• If the pole beans are overtaking or "choking out" the corn, attempt to train them to another pole such as a bamboo rod. Corn will typically grow faster than the pole beans, so it is rarely a problem.
• Train the squash plants to vine directly down the row of corn.
• Use a bamboo pole for extra stalk support if the weight of the pole beans is dragging down the stalk.
• Pole beans that will be dried for future plantings or storage can be left on the vine as long as they don't interfere with the corn harvest.
• Do not use bush beans with corn. These will not vine up the corn stalks and can quickly "choke out" young corn plants.
• Prevent squash from going up the corn stalks, as the weight of the fruit is too heavy for the stalk to support.

References

• Tampa Bay School Gardening Network-Three Sisters: Corn, Beans and Squash
• UCDavis-Growing Learning Communities
• University of Vermont Extension-Grow a Vertical Garden