Is it seedling time yet?

[P.K.]

Looking to do a "lower maitenance" garden this year, what are the variations to the "Three Sisters" that will grow fairly well in middle TN?

My maters, cukes and melons will have their own beds but I was curious to water retention and what others I could plant in this configuration.

[waksupi]

Three sisters is a great growing system, but it takes more area than I like to use generally. I'm limiting it to one of my raised squares this year, with another separate for more corn if needed.
I really like square foot gardening, with trellis supports for any climbers. Produces much more, on very little ground. The best thing for water retention, is heavy mulch. I mix my soil with compost, and after the plants emerge, start mulching with grass from my mulching mower. Be sure you mow dry grass. Leave a small space around the stems. Once the plants have emerged, and you have the mulch down, you will have little or no weeding, and watering is cut in half or more. Keep in mind, you can drown plants, and kill them with kindness. Monitor your soil moisture by digging into the ground to check, and pay attention to the plants They will tell you when they need water.

[P.K.]

Thanks for the tips on mulching, learned that lesson last year. Everything started great last year untill mid-end of June and the drought hit. I'll be growing for the canner this year since it's just me and the kids and needed something fun w/o all the work for them. I figured the 3S plan would be the easiest on weeding and still keep them interested. I will try the trellice Idea with my beans and cukes this year too. The mulching may just save the corn this year if we have similar conditions as last.

[375RUGER]

Water is an issue in NM where it's always dry but now it's even DRIER. I have no material to mulch with so last year I experimented with used billboard tarps. Basically the ground underneath is tilled and the tarp is laid out and holes cut how I like everything spaced. Then I lay out my drip tape to match the row spacing. Then I remove the tarp and lay the drip tape out then cover with the tarp so that the rows of drip tape align with the holes I put in the tarp.
This is about the best way I've discovered to direct as much water as possible to the plant vs. letting it evaportate. Works in my sandbox anyway. it's a big deal when you have to pull water from 950' down.
The tarps, black side up also give me a little earlier start by warming the ground.
This year I'll have about 3500 sf of garden under tarp.
Another nice thing about my system is you don't really have to till every year. You can just cut the old growth out of the way and replant.

[P.K.]

Water is an issue in NM where it's always dry but now it's even DRIER. I have no material to mulch with so last year I experimented with used billboard tarps. Basically the ground underneath is tilled and the tarp is laid out and holes cut how I like everything spaced. Then I lay out my drip tape to match the row spacing. Then I remove the tarp and lay the drip tape out then cover with the tarp so that the rows of drip tape align with the holes I put in the tarp.
This is about the best way I've discovered to direct as much water as possible to the plant vs. letting it evaportate. Works in my sandbox anyway. it's a big deal when you have to pull water from 950' down.
The tarps, black side up also give me a little earlier start by warming the ground.
This year I'll have about 3500 sf of garden under tarp.
Another nice thing about my system is you don't really have to till every year. You can just cut the old growth out of the way and replant.

Great idea!