History of the Three Sisters garden at the Louisiana State Exhibit museum.

1. The Three Sisters Garden at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum 2009

6. The Beginning April 27, 2008

13. Heirloom Dent Corn Squash Heirloom Pole Beans

21. Treat left side With EcoMulch Compost Tea

22. Pole Beans Taking Off

23. Fertilize right side with Cottonseed Meal

24. Pole Beans Recovering

30. End of June Hot and Dry

40. Only two pathetic sunflowers

44. Beautiful Corn Tassels

47. First Squash!! First Squash!!

48. Ants working Aphids on Corn

49. They were sprayed with soapy water!

50. Try one more time! Seed at home to transplant later in garden.

52. Aphids and Ants Back

53. Visitors !

54. More Visitors!

55. Cindy Grogan at LSEM

62. 10-2-8

69. Short Beans

75. Squash

76. Week Eleven Lemon Queen Sunflowers

77. Transplant more Lemon Queen Sunflowers

78. Bug problems

79. Glassy-winged Sharpshooter Homalodisca vitripennis

80. Glassy-winged Sharpshooter Homalodisca vitripennis

83. Corn Aphids and Ants

84. Week Eleven Lemon Queen Sunflowers

85. Transplant more Lemon Queen Sunflowers

90. Fresh Picked Squash

91. Baby Pole Beans

92. Sunflowers Used as a Trap Plant Glassy-winged Sharpshooter Homalodisca vitripennis

97. Sunflower transplants

107. Green Striped Cushaw leaves

176. Cushaw still growing

178. Straight-neck squash done

179. Pole Beans Enjoying Rain and Cooler Weather

180. Corn!

194. Coming Full Cycle (Saving Seeds) By saving and replanting some of the seeds from their three sisters gardens, Native cultures brought the cycle of life full circle. Your may want to save some to replant or package and give to other gardeners. Below are some tips for gathering and preserving the seeds. Corn Leave several ears on the stalk until husks dry and turn brown. Remove and peel back the husks and hang them to dry, out of direct sun, for a month. Once they're dry, remove the individual kernels. Store them in an airtight container. (Note: If you save and replant seed from hybrid corn, the plants will not have their parents' good qualities.) Beans Leave several pods on a plant until they turn brown and brittle. Break open the pods and remove the seeds. Leave them on a flat surface or screen, out of direct sun, to air dry for a few days. Put them in an airtight, dark container protected from extreme heat and cold. Squash Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and rinse them with water in a colander. Follow the same instructions as listed for drying and storing beans.