Milpa / Three Sisters Guild — FarmPal

Ancient Mesoamerican polyculture where three crops support each other: corn provides structure for beans to climb, beans fix nitrogen for corn and squash, and squash leaves shade soil to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

Species Involved

Corn
Beans (pole varieties)
Squash

Key Principles

  • •Each plant serves the others true symbiosis, not just intercropping
  • •Corn stalks provide living trellis for bean vines
  • •Bean root nodules fix atmospheric nitrogen, feeding corn and squash
  • •Squash broad leaves create living mulch, suppressing weeds and retaining moisture
  • •Combined harvest provides complete protein (corn + beans)

Infrastructure

Well-prepared, fertile bed or mound (6-8 feet across)
Quality seed for all three crops adapted to your climate
Irrigation if rainfall is unreliable
No trellis needed corn IS the trellis