What is milpa gardening?
The Milpa gardening techniques is rooted in the indigenous “three sisters” method which combines a corn, squash, and beans to improve the soil and grow food.
Milpa gardening takes the idea of companion planting a step further and we have compiled a mix of 35 species aimed at the Northern gardener (matures in less than 90 days).
Milpa gardens are an excellent way to utilize a small portion of land to grow food without the hassle of tillage, weeding, and hours of planting.
Milpa gardening takes the idea of companion planting a step further and we have compiled a mix of 35 species aimed at the Northern gardener (matures in less than 90 days).
Milpa gardens are an excellent way to utilize a small portion of land to grow food without the hassle of tillage, weeding, and hours of planting.
Project overview
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The Butte SWCD received grant funding from the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation to provide milpa garden seed mixes to residents of the Butte SWCD at no charge.
Requirements for participation are:
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Benefits of milpa gardening
- Increases soil microbial diversity and activity
- Attracts pollinators and other beneficial insects
- Improves soil health
- Creates diversity with a single planting
- Cycles and sequesters nutrients among plants
- Generates a variety of produce with reduced labor
Our seed mix
Our seeds were sourced from the Snake River Seed Cooperative and Everwilde Farms, Inc. Click on the species name to be taken to an informational page.
Contender bush beans, Kentucky wonder 125 pole beans, sugar snap peas, green arrow garden peas, French horticulture green bush beans, crimson clover, crackerjack African marigold, autumn beauty sunflower, lemon queen sunflower, blanket flower, blue flax, purple coneflower, pink celebration radish, purple plum radish, white icicle radish, dwarf blue curled scotch kale, tendergreen mustard, perpetual spinach swiss chard, arugula, barese swiss chard, bloomsdale spinach, wee be little pumpkin, tatume summer squash, table king acorn squash, black diamond watermelon, yellow crimson watermelon, homemade pickles cucumbers, lemon cucumber, tuxana sweet corn, starburst manna parching corn, Minnesota midget melon, Iroquois melon, cocozelle summer squash, prolific straightneck summer squash, yellow bush scallop summer squash
Contender bush beans, Kentucky wonder 125 pole beans, sugar snap peas, green arrow garden peas, French horticulture green bush beans, crimson clover, crackerjack African marigold, autumn beauty sunflower, lemon queen sunflower, blanket flower, blue flax, purple coneflower, pink celebration radish, purple plum radish, white icicle radish, dwarf blue curled scotch kale, tendergreen mustard, perpetual spinach swiss chard, arugula, barese swiss chard, bloomsdale spinach, wee be little pumpkin, tatume summer squash, table king acorn squash, black diamond watermelon, yellow crimson watermelon, homemade pickles cucumbers, lemon cucumber, tuxana sweet corn, starburst manna parching corn, Minnesota midget melon, Iroquois melon, cocozelle summer squash, prolific straightneck summer squash, yellow bush scallop summer squash
