'Three Sisters Garden'

In December last year, a dedicated group of volunteer parents; grandparents and students prepared and planted out a 'three sisters garden.'

According to Iroquois legend (ancient Canadian peoples), corn, beans, and squash are three inseparable sisters who only grow and thrive together and have been growing these three crops together for thousands of years.

The corn seed is planted first; once the corn is about knee high, then a climbing bean seed is planted at the base of each corn and then the squash.

Corn is a hungry plant and needs a big supply of available nutrients; beans (like all legumes) are able to grab nitrogen from the air and fix it to their roots, feeding the corn.

The squash (we planted watermelon and canteloupe) is a shallow rooted vine and rambles freely over the garden bed, providing a living mulch; smothering any weeds and preventing soil moisture from evaporating.

The large amount of crop residue from this planting combination can be incorporated back into the soil at the end of the season, to build up the organic matter and improve its structure, ie. zero waste.