A while back I predicted abject failure from my Three Sisters planting of corn, pole beans, and squash. None of my dire predictions came true, but we still got trouble.

The plants themselves have grown well. The corn is tall and tasselling out. The beans are growing up the corn, and the pumpkins are taking over everything. BUT–as I have chronicled ad nauseum, squash bugs and borers have been the cause of constant futile measures and personal insult.

In addition, freak 70 mph winds toppled the corn the other day and my efforts to prop them up have met with mixed results.

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Attempt at staking

Attempt at staking

After staking

After staking

If you have noticed all the aluminum foil on the ground and are wondering what’s up with that, I just have to sigh and mumble something hokey about squash borers. I don’t know what I’m doing. Just don’t be surprised if the next time I post a photo of this bed it features voodoo effigies of squash borers. Or, simply, no squash.

Lastly, there are the aphids, by the thousand, on the corn. Fortunately the ladybugs are hard at work on them, so I consider this the least of my worries.

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What next?

TL