Tips for planting corn, beans and squash

Corn, beans and squash originate in tropical areas where they enjoy warm moist springs and hot, sunny summers. They require full sun to grow well, and need warm soil for germination. If you sow seeds directly in the garden, wait until the nighttime temperature is consistently above 10 °C (usually early May in coastal BC; late May in Southern Ontario and Southern Quebec, early June in Atlantic, Northern Quebec, Northern Ontario, the Prairies and interior BC).

Seeds can be started in small pots on a sunny windowsill, but bean and squash seedlings are much more fragile than most plants (compared to annual flowers, say) so some care by an adult is usually needed to plant them. Think about how fragile bean sprouts are, and you'll get the idea. Normally, there is no need to start corn, beans or squash indoors unless you would like to have a closer look at the way they grow.

Beans can be successfully grown during fall and winter in pots on a sunny windowsill. They will climb, seeking more light, and they will produce only a few flowers and pods on each plant. Learn more about growing beans and the Bean Keepers project here.

Plant corn in the middle of a small mound of soil in mid-May, thin to four well-spaced seedlings and allow the plants to reach six inches. Then sow beans around the corn and sow squash around the mound. When those seedlings appear, thin to four bean and two squash plants. If you lack space, try planting the Three Sisters in a bushel basket, half barrel or any available large container. Use lightweight soil, well mixed with compost and place in a sunny location. For a second planting method, please read our Outdoor Classroom 12.

Packages

Three Sisters Pack – consists of Six Nations Calico Corn, Seneca (Scarlet) Runner Bean, Acorn Squash.

Availability: Little Pine's Native Heritage Place (Ontario)

Corn

Bear Island Chippewa. A multi-coloured flint corn with 8 to 12 rows of yellow, pink, white, red, blue and striped kernels. A good grinding corn.

Harvest Time: 90–100 days
History: Originally collected from the Chippewa in north-central U.S.
Availability: Lindenberg Seeds (Manitoba)

Hominy. Hominy corn is a peculiar variety as it grows only 60 to 90 cm tall and produces two small cobs per plant. Each cob is about 10 cm long and has large yellow kernels.

History: There is an unconfirmed theory that this corn was grown by the Micmac of PEI and shared with the Acadian settlers who grew and used it much like their native friends. When the Acadians left PEI, some came to NB, and with them came this corn. The Micmac dried the cobs and removed the kernels, which were boiled with wood ash to break down the hard seed coat. The corn was then ground and used to make "hominy", which is a like corn porridge. The Acadians quickly adopted this recipe and carried it and the corn wherever they settled. Hominy is still a very popular dish in some areas.
Availability: Hope Seeds and Perennials (New Brunswick)

Iroquois White Flour Corn. Hardy variety that was traditionally grown in mounds with 3 to 5 plants. Plant can grow to 8 feet. Terrific corn taste and good for grinding.

History: A traditional variety that is the most common corn grown at the Six Nations community of Ohsweken. Makes excellent flour and is the most popular variety, at Six Nations, for traditional corn bread and soup. May have been brought north by the Tuscarora in the 18th century.
Availability: Little Pine's Native Heritage Place (Ontario)

Seneca Indian Corn. Multi-coloured. Many different variations in kernel and husk colour. 10" cobs.

History: Grown by Iroquois farmers.
Availability:Halifax Seeds (Nova Scotia)
Vesey's Seeds (Prince Edward Island)
William Dam Seeds (Ontario)

Six Nations Calico. A gorgeous eight rowed, multicoloured Iroquois flint corn. Traditionally ground into flour, when mature, but can be eaten as sweet corn when kernels are at the milk stage. Early to mature, good for short season areas.

History: Obtained at the Six Nations community of Ohsweken in southern Ontario. Used for decoration or ceremonial purposes as well as for food.
Availability: Little Pine's Native Heritage Place (Ontario)

Beans

Baie Verte Indian. The vines reach about 75 cm and produce green pods containing white, kidney shaped seeds with an irregular tan-coloured splotch flecked with reddish-brown around the hilum. It was most commonly grown as a dried bean for winter cooking.

History: This bean has a long and intricate history in a small area from Cape Spear to Port Elgin, NB. It is believed to be originally from the early local natives. The seed resembles that of the Wild Mostoller Bean of the U.S. This variety is believed to be very rare in Canada and the U.S. The early Acadian settlers in the area received this variety from the local natives. Since many of the natives and Acadians intermarried, the bean was passed around the local community and was at one time quite popular. Today, there are few natives left in the area and the bean is now referred to as an Acadian heirloom.
Availability: Hope Seeds and Perennials (New Brunswick)

Cherokee Trail of Tears. Pods turn from green to dark purple with shiny black seeds.

Harvest Time: 65–85 days
History: 1800s. So named because it was carried by the Cherokee on their forced march.
Availability:The Cottage Gardener (Ontario)
Little Pine's Native Heritage Place (Ontario)
Prairie Garden Seeds (Saskatchewan)

Odawa Soup. A tall, heavy-yielding bean. The pods are broad, and the seeds are large and oval, half white, half pinto coloured.

History: Unknown.
Availability: Prairie Garden Seeds (Saskatchewan)

Seneca Bean (Scarlet Runner). Vigorous climber producing stunning scarlet flowers that attract hummingbirds and bees. Green in colour. Grown for use as a snap bean, if picked young, and is prized as a dried bean with a nut like flavour. Seeds are a gorgeous blue and black colour and are called "Jewellery Beans". Can be grown on a trellis or a fence.

History: A time honoured ornamental and ceremonial bean traditionally grown by indigenous cultures from Mexico to Ontario. Widely grown by the Seneca. Adopted by Europeans and became a very popular green bean in Great Britain.
Availability: Halifax Seeds (Nova Scotia)
Lindenberg Seeds (Manitoba)
Little Pine's Native Heritage Place (Ontario)
McFayden Seed (Manitoba)
OSC Seeds (Ontario)
Stokes Seeds (Ontario)
T & T Seeds (Manitoba)
Vesey's Seeds (Prince Edward Island)
William Dam Seeds (Ontario)
and others.

Squash

Canada Crookneck. Creamy yellow, up to 12 inches in length, but best eaten at half this size. The name comes from the fruit's stem end, which is bent into a hook shape.

Harvest Time: 100 days
History: One of the original winter squashes, grown by native farmers prior to the 1830s.
Availability: Greta's Organic Gardens (Ontario)

Connecticut Field. One of the most popular varieties of Halloween pumpkins. Large orange fruits weigh 10–25 lbs. on vigorous vines. Flesh is an orange-yellow colour with dry, sweet flavour. Good for canning, baking, pies and roasted pumpkin seeds.

Harvest Time: 110 days
History: Can be traced back to early Iroquois settlements. Field and pie pumpkins were some of the first squashes grown in native gardens. Good for canning and animal feed. Frost damages keeping quality. This ancient, pre-1700 variety is an excellent Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) introduction that was quickly adopted by European colonists.
Availability: Early's Farm and Garden Center (Saskatchewan)
Eternal Seed (657 Pritchard Rd., Farrellton, Québec J0X 1T0; tel: (819)827-8881; email: edecas@travel-net.com
Halifax Seeds (Nova Scotia)
Lindenberg Seeds (Manitoba)
Little Pine's Native Heritage Place (Ontario)
OSC Seeds (Ontario)
Stokes Seeds (Ontario)
Vesey's Seeds (Prince Edward Island)
and others.

Green Hubbard. Long vines and large leaves require about 10 feet x 10 feet of space for each hill. The pear-shaped fruits with green, warted skin are 5–10 pounds and have superb flavour and storage quality. They can keep until the following summer under good conditions. Flesh is orange-yellow and fine grained with a creamy texture, not too dry.

Harvest Time: 110 days
History: Hubbards have been a North American favourite since before Europeans arrived. Settlers adopted this great squash and made many improvements to it. Hubbard is still a popular squash in its many forms today.
Availability: Hope Seeds and Perennials (New Brunswick)
and others.

Mandan. Small, delicious, green and white striped. Flesh is pale green.

Harvest Time: 56 days
History: From the Mandan tribe of the central Plains.
Availability: Prairie Garden Seeds (Saskatchewan)

Small Sugar Pumpkin. Rich, orange flesh with a dry but sweet flavour. Fruit is 7 inches in diameter and stores for several months. Good for making pies or roasting seeds.

Harvest Time: 100 days
History: This old variety has been the standard pie pumpkin since the early 1800s. Possibly of native origin.
Availability:Halifax Seeds (Nova Scotia)
Lindenberg Seeds (Manitoba)
Little Pine's Native Heritage Place (Ontario)
OSC Seeds (Ontario)
Prairie Garden Seeds (Saskatchewan)
Salt Spring Seeds (British Columbia)
Stokes Seeds (Ontario)
Vesey's Seeds (Prince Edward Island)
West Coast Seeds (British Columbia)
and others.

Striped Crookneck. Large pear-shaped fruit are white with green stripes.

Harvest Time: 120 days
History: Probably originated in the West Indies but was widely grown throughout North America by the mid 1800s.
Availability: Eternal Seed (657 Pritchard Rd., Farrellton, Québec J0X 1T0; tel: (819)827-8881; email: edecas@travel-net.com
and others.

Table Queen. Medium size, dark green to black, heart-shaped, ribbed fruit with pale orange flesh.

Harvest Time: 86 days
History: Original Acorn variety. Appears in seed catalogues around 1913. The Arikara tribe of the central Plains grew a very similar squash, from which this was probably selected.
Availability: The Cottage Gardener (Ontario)
Early's Farm and Garden Center (Saskatchewan)
Greta's Organic Gardens (Ontario)
Halifax Seeds (Nova Scotia)
Lindenberg Seeds (Manitoba)
Little Pine's Native Heritage Place (Ontario)
OSC Seeds (Ontario)
T & T Seeds (Manitoba)
Vesey's Seeds (Prince Edward Island)
West Coast Seeds (British Columbia)
William Dam Seeds (Ontario)
and others.

White Bush Scallop. Small, round, flat squash with white skin and scalloped bumps around the outer edge.

Harvest Time: 56 days
History: One of the oldest cultivated squashes in Canada, recorded by Europeans in the 1500s. Northern Indians called these "Squantersquash", from which we get the name "squash".
Availability: Eternal Seed (657 Pritchard Rd., Farrellton, Québec J0X 1T0; tel: (819)827-8881; email: edecas@travel-net.com
and others.

Yellow Bush Scallop. Similar to White Bush Scallop, but with yellow skin

Harvest Time: 60 days
History: This very old squash was grown with its relative, the White Bush Scallop, by native farmers prior to 1700.
Availability: Stokes Seeds (Ontario)
and others.

Credits

Much of the varietal information in the listing is courtesy of Seeds of Diversity.