Planting in Circles

Beans are one of the staple crops in our garden, providing valuable protein and vitamins for vegetarians and omnivores alike.  Most types of beans are hardy vines that will grow prolifically under the right conditions.  Because of their viny nature, they like to have something to climb on like a fence, some poles, a Tipi, or cornstalks.  We decided to build small tipis for our beans instead of the trellises we used last year.  Bamboo stalks from the yard of a good friend will the building material for our bean houses.  We started by planting beans in a circle; now they are sprouted and will soon send out long tendrils seeking for some support. Planting in circles is common in many three sisters gardens.  In a 3 sisters garden, corn beans and squash are co-planted in a traditional way to maximize efficiency of water, space and labor in the garden.