I have used this method for two summers now. My garden is 20x40 feet.
I've done sweet corn, usually hybrid, but I've also done a couple of heirloom varieties. (Martian Jewels are so pretty!) It can become a jungle in there, but the corn ears tend to "stick out" and seem to do well. Last year because of a major squash bug infiltration I lost all my squash and pumpkins, but the corn and beans produced well.
Late in the season after all the corn had been harvested, the weight of the beans began pulling down the corn stalks but at that point all the corn was gone so I was good with it, it was still strong enough to keep the beans off the ground which was all I really wanted. I harvested green beans until well past first "light" frost. Finally being taken out by our surprise Halloween Snow.
Last summer I did my corn in rows of about 10 feet long spacing the rows about 1.5 feet apart.
The first year I followed the native American plan with hills where the center of each hill was about 36 inches apart. This produced thick strong stalks and 4-6 ears per stalk of True Platinum and Silver Queen.That plan called for 1 corn kernel in the center of the hill, 4 bean seeds around the hill at 12, 3, 6 & 9 and the squash planted in the valleys.The pumpkins and spinning gourds produced well that year the beans were tougher because the birds kept stealing the bean seeds. I replanted time and again only to have them stolen time and again.
This past year I over planted beans and corn expecting them to be stolen then protected them with 3 ft. stakes and bird netting, then I had to thin, and thin again and again. There's some oldwives tale about planting three seeds when you plant. One to sell, one to eat and one for the crows. Don't do that if you're going to use bird netting!
