Even the Maya were aware of the importance of mixed cultures. A cultivation system that has survived over the centuries is the so-called milpa: corn, beans and pumpkin are grown in a bed.
A South American cultivation system that should work here in Germany? The mixed culture partners corn (Zea mays), beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and pumpkin (Cucurbita spec.) are also classics here that are often cultivated. However, we can learn from the indigenous people of South America how well the three cultures fit together and complement each other. The English term “Three Sisters” also makes this clear. In this article you will learn what Milpa is all about and how you can easily create a Milpa bed in your garden.
Milpa bed: What is that?
The word Milpa means something like "the near field". It can be attributed to the fact that the Maya's milpa fields were actually close to their dwellings. Milpa means that corn, beans and squash are grown together in the same field and complement each other. This is to ensure a rich harvest and he althy plants. The three sisters used to ensure the basic needs of the indigenous peoples: corn is an energy-yielding grain that can be stored for a long time and was used to make tortillas and the like. Beans, on the other hand, are important sources of protein and pumpkins contain other vitamins and minerals.
What are the benefits of a Milpa bed?
The three mixed culture partners, corn, beans and pumpkin, support each other. The corn as the main crop also serves as a climbing aid for the beans. Since beans belong to the legumes, they enter into a symbiosis with nodule bacteria. These then fix the nitrogen from the air, which supports the growth of the beans and, in the long term, fertilizes the soil through the rotting of the plant remains. The pumpkin as the third partner covers the ground with its large leaves, which prevents the growth of unwantedSuppresses weeds and keeps soil moist by shading.
Other advantages of a Milpa bed are the efficient use of space, which enables high yields in a relatively small area, and the low maintenance requirements. As soon as the ground is covered by the pumpkin, the bed is more or less left to its own devices. For example, weeding is only necessary at the beginning of the cultivation.
Creating a Milpa bed: step by step
A Milpa bed can be laid out in many different ways, so that after initial research you may be overwhelmed with the many options. With our step-by-step instructions, nothing stands in the way of a successful cultivation.
1. Area Selection: For a milpa bed, select a patch of your yard that is at least 1.2m x 2m and gets a lot of sun. Also, keep in mind that mixed culture grows very tall. So it can easily happen that other crops in the garden are shaded.
2. Improve Soil: All three cultures prefer humus rich soil that stores water well. If you want to prepare your garden soil well for cultivation, you can work in a nutrient-rich soil, such as our Plantura organic compost or some of your own compost.
3. Select cultivation system: In South America, the milpa is typically cultivated in clumps. That means, for example, you plant three corn plants and two bean plants close together and at some distance from them the pumpkin. Alternatively, you can create a Milpa bed in rows. The maize is grown with a row spacing of 60 to 80 cm and a planting distance within the row of about 40 cm. Up to three beans are sowed around each corn plant. Finally, between the rows of corn comes the pumpkin, which should be planted about 2 m apart.
4. Choosing Varieties: Varietal selection is critical to a successful Milpa culture. Above all, the composition of corn and beans must be right. For example, if you combine a fast-growing bean with a rather slow-growing corn, it can quickly happen that the bean overgrows the corn and literally wrestles to the ground. In the case of beans, it is also advantageous to choose a colorful variety. These are easier to find later in the thicket of the Milpa bed than green beans. We have some good combinations in the table belowput together for you.
| Corn Type | Bean type |
|---|---|
| 'Black Aztek' | 'Goldsfield', 'Green Postal Squirrel' |
| 'Golden Bantam' | 'Scarlett Emperor', 'Sunset' |
| 'Rainbow Inka' | 'Distinctive' |
| 'XT Goldcrest' | 'Neckargold', 'Neckarkönigin' |
| 'SF 201' | 'Markant', 'Matilda', 'Flavourstar', 'Musica', Blauhilde |
5. Prefer corn and possibly pumpkin: Maize has a slow early development and in our part of the world it can be planted in the bed from mid-April at the earliest. It is therefore a good idea to bring him indoors from March. Give each corn seedling its own pot right from the start, as young corn plants have strong roots and it is difficult to prick them out. You have two options when planting pumpkins: you can either start them early in April or sow them directly in May together with the beans.
6. Planting and sowing in May: In mid-May, the young plants you have grown yourself or bought can move to the bed. The planting distances as described under point 3 should be observed. At the same time as planting the corn and squash, the beans can also be sown about 5 cm deep in a circle around the corn plants.
The right care
In the beginning it may still be necessary to keep the soil free of weeds by hand. But once the plants are big enough, even a little weed won't bother them and you can leave the bed to itself. If everything went well, a wild, green and yet fertile jungle will have emerged from around July. Of course, the three types of vegetables need enough water, so regular watering is essential, especially during increasing dry periods. Especially squash and corn have a high water requirement from the flowering stage and if the supply is too low, cobs and fruits remain small.
If the three sisters are grown in a fertile, well-prepared field, they usually do not need to be fertilized. In South America, milpa is typically intensively farmed for only three years, followed by a ten-year fallow period. Because corn and pumpkin in particular are among the heavy consumers. Another common practice in South America is slash and burn. This allows nutrients and organic matter to return to the soil. Since this is not possible with us, you can simply place the plant remains directly on theCompost area as mulch and dig under in spring before next planting.
Tip: You can even start a small Milpa culture in a large bucket on the balcony or terrace. For this you choose a short-growing corn, such as the variety 'Supai Red', of which four to five plants are planted in the middle of the bucket. Four bush beans are placed in a circle on the outer edge of the bucket. A small pumpkin is placed between the corn and the beans. A nutrient-rich soil, such as our Plantura organic compost soil, should be used as a substrate. It is completely peat-free and therefore more sustainable than many ordinary potting soils.
If you want to learn more about growing different plants in one bed, you can read our article on intercropping. There you will find out, for example, why tomato and basil go so well together not only on the plate, but also in the bed.