Ep. 252 Growing together: Three Sisters gardening | #GoodGrowing

Ep. 252 Growing together: Three Sisters gardening | #GoodGrowing

From Good Growing by Chris Enroth

May 15, 2026 · 60 min · Episode 293

About this episode

This episode explores the Three Sisters gardening method, its history, and practical tips for home gardening.

This week on the Good Growing Podcast, we dig into the Three Sisters gardening method, an Indigenous planting system that brings corn, beans, and squash together in a mutually beneficial way. Learn about the history and cultural significance behind the Three Sisters, how these three crops support one another in the garden, tips for trying it yourself at home, and more! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EZmR9h-dhmQ Skip to what you want to know: 00:36 – Have we ever tried the Three Sisters Gardening technique? 03:07 – Land acknowledgment 09:20 – The origin of the Three Sisters 16:31 – What is Three Sisters agriculture/gardening? 20:41 – Growing the Three Sisters 31:50 – Is it an effective way to grow? 39:53 – Eating the harvest 50:05 – The Honorable Harvest 57:26 – Wrap-up, what’s up next week, and goodbye! More information The Mohawk story of creation: Lee Claremont, TEDx Penticton Historical Indigenous Food Preparation Using Produce of the Three Sisters Intercropping System An Evaluation of the Productivity of the Native American 'Three Sisters' Agriculture System in Northern Wisconsin Yield, growth, and labor demands of growing maize, beans, and squash in monoculture versus…

People in this episode

Host: Chris Enroth

Topics covered

  • Three Sisters gardening
  • Indigenous planting systems
  • corn beans squash
  • cultural significance
  • gardening tips

Keywords

  • Three Sisters
  • gardening
  • Indigenous agriculture
  • corn
  • beans
  • squash
  • cultural significance
  • gardening tips

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: TEDx Penticton

Books & works: The Mohawk story of creation, Historical Indigenous Food Preparation Using Produce of the Three Sisters, An Evaluation of the Productivity of the Native American 'Three Sisters' Agriculture System in Northern Wisconsin, Yield, growth, and labor demands of growing maize, beans, and squash in monoculture versus the Three Sisters, Root foraging elicits niche complementarity-dependent yield advantage in the ancient ‘three sisters’ (maize/bean/squash) polyculture, Uncovering Cahokia’s Food History & Forgotten Farmscapes

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