With the cold weather continuing in the Western Cape one just hopes that the plants will be able to hang on for another week or so. Spring is bound to arrive sometime – this is South Africa after all!
This week Tuesday and Wednesday are really good days to be in the garden. It is a fertile period and as the moon is waxing it is a good time to plant and sow everything that produces above ground. Seedlings should now be much easier to find and most seeds will germinate out in the open now.
Some of the best plants with which to start off with in beds that have been prepared for the first time are the three sisters. They are corn, beans and pumpkins.
Three Sisters planting
After the new bed is prepared one sows the corn – about 15cm apart – leaving space for its companions. As soon as it germinates one sows the beans about 5cm from each mielie and likewise with the pumpkin. The beans should be climbing/runner beans; it can be just about any pumpkin (cucurbit). The pumpkin acts as a ground cover, the bean – being a legume – fixes nitrogen in the soil (which pumpkins and mielies love) and the corn shades the other two while providing a structure for the bean to climb. This is a classic example of companion planting.
Tuesday and Wednesday are also good for making compost and irrigating. Remember that it is better to water less often but for longer periods.
On Thursday and Friday I am building a new chicken tractor for our feathery friends so they will be able to show off their new home to the people attending our ‘Introduction to Permaculture course‘ this coming weekend. Please contact me if you are in the area and would like to see how a chicken tractor is built. There are also still some places left on this month’s course so contact us as soon as possible if you would like to attend.