I have been using this Copy Kat Deer and Rabbit Repellent for the last 3 years to keep the deer out of my garden, The deer will stand together in a group about 40' away, looking at my corn, but then never touch it. You can almost hear them saying"I will try it if you will". I also have found that deer don't like blood meal. There is a version of "Liquid Fence" on the market. I found this works just as well, just you have to use it more quickly due to it not having the preservatives in it. It smells bad when you apply it--this is your warning!! You will need 5 one gallon containers to mix this up. Fast and easy. 4 to 6 eggs 1 lg head of garlic, chopped 5 gallons of water Any hot pepper you may have in the house Put eggs, garlic and pepper in a blender with some water and blend until well mixed. Empty mixture in one of the gallon containers. Fill the container with water and mix well. Distribute the mixture into the other 4 containers until all 5 containers are equal. Fill all 5 containers with water and set in the sun for 3 days to "ripen". Sprinkle around the perimeter of the area you want to protect. You can also strain some mixture and put it into a spray bottle to spray on plants that might need extra treatment. Retreat every month or after a hard rain. I have also mixed in onions. I donÂt know if it helped or not. I think the eggs and garlic is enough. From what I have read, it helps to change the recipe every once in a while, so the deer donÂt get used to it. You can add milk, dish soap or salad oil in to help it work better.

Love the idea of the three sisters planting! I was plannning on doing corn, provider bush beans, and zucchini and some winter squash. Cucumbers? I'd like to try that also. Let me know any experience you have with this type of planting, and don't cucumbers have some of the same pests as other vegetables? Might want to keep them away from eachother. With my small garden, I'll be doing a lot of trellising I guess. This is an EXCELLENT post, let's keep it going!

Agree with denn - the 3 sisters fad has been discussed here numerous times and the search will pull up all the discussions for you to read if you wish. The consensus is it worked for the Indians because of the type plants they used. For the modern garden it is far less successful. As to what to stake pole beans with? Again many discussions here with suggestions ranging from the standard bean towers made specifically for them to tripod tepees made from bamboo, tall trellis or cattle panels or wire and string trellis. Basically any very stable support that is 6' tall minimum and well staked. Dave

I, too am planning on going the three sisters route but one thing bothers me. I am told the three sisters will not perform the first year as well as in subsequent years since the nitrogen left by the beans will not be available to the corn until next year. But here is my dilemma: I am constantly being admonished (in various publications and websites) not to plant the same crops in the same places every year. Most also say to rotate crops every year. How can I do both?