[Sca-cooks] planting fish

[marilyn traber 011221]

> Actually, the stalks would support the beans. The squash was the ground
> creeper. The group planting also helps with moisture.
> I think I am remembering wrong but I think one of the plants provided
> nitrogen to the soil which helped one of the other plants that 
> thrive on nitrogen. The fish added extra nutrients (early form of 
> Miracle Grow?) The "3 sisters" is an area specific belief, therefore 
> "many native tribes" would not have used that planting method. Lyse

As I recall, it's the maize that does in the nitroge- maize tends to clean a 
lot of nutrients out of the soil. Beans are definitely nitrogen fixers, and 
the corn stalks will support the beans- not entirely sure where the squash 
fits in. 

> > -----Original Message-----
> I'd imagine not, since many native tribes used a group planting 
> method I've heard described as the 'three sisters", you plant corn,
>  squash and beans in the  same hill,  and the corn stalk acts as a 
> stake for the other two. They all grow and intertwine and support 
> each other.
> 
> I'd imagine depending on when they flower, they'd attract more bees 
> to pollinate the crops too.
> 
> Corwyn

Other insects, perhaps- not honey bees. If you'll recall, the European honey 
bee is called that because it camp over from Europe. While there were quite a 
few wasps and other insects here in the New World, honey bees weren't one of 
them- such honey as the Native Americans acquired was produced by a 
particular type of wasp and a particular tyope of ant, both of which, as I 
understand it are rapidly becoming extinct. Even the European honeybee is 
becoming an endangered species here in the Americas because of the 
uncontrolled diseases they're subject to.

Phlip