Pole beans & corn (three sisters lite)
PairSweet corn with Pole beans
Beans can climb corn after corn is knee-high; beans fix little N for the same-year corn crop, but roots loosen soil around the stalk.
In the garden
- Plant corn first; add beans when corn is sturdy—avoid snapping young stalks.
- Use true pole varieties, not bush beans, unless you add trellis.
Spacing & timing
Give corn full spacing; add one bean seed every 8–12 inches along the row, not every stalk if stalks are tight.
Caveats
- Heavy bean load can lean weak corn—choose wind-sheltered sites or stake corn in windy yards.