We all know about the three sisters method, of course, and I’m planning to try a dry farmed three sisters bed this year with sorghum, tepary beans, and zucchinis that are used to being dry farmed in my climate.
But how about other mutually beneficial plantings? Have you tried anything unusual and neat that has worked?
I’m seriously pondering try to grow dwarf banana plants surrounded by perennial kale plants. I can see quite a few potential benefits to this.
- Both families are not particularly drought tolerant, and do well with a whole lot of mulch.
- Both families do well with high nitrogen fertilizer.
- I want both to stay long-term as perennials.
- Brassicas will probably do better with shade in the summer. Banana plants will shoot up and get tall with big leaves in summer.
- Bananas will probably do better with cover in winter. A big, bushy brassica that stays alive through the winter may work as a great windbreak and blanket.
Basically, I think they’re similar enough to not demand different growing conditions, and opposites enough to protect each other during their most difficult season.
I hope it will work!
How about you? Have you found any unusual and wonderful combinations?