Bean question

[AndyS]

Andy asks:

If I take some pinto beans that I buy in a plastic bag at the supermarket, soak them overnight at room temp, and then plant them, will they germinate ?

Andy in Eureka, Texas

[Gary Woods]

Almost certainly. The only issue is that you don't know the particular variety or where it does best (which is a good reason to save your own seed). But you can't beat the price.

Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

[Ross McKay]

Yup. Also black-eyed peas, red kidney beans, black beans, broad beans, borlotti beans, chickpeas, you name it. However, be ready to feed them really well, as they are almost certainly selected for high-input irrigated cultivation rather than home growing. But if they swell when you soak them (and especially if they sprout in a bowl as per mung bean sprouts), they'll grow when planted.

[AndyS]

Andy comments:

Thanks, Ross and Gary. I had googled the subject and pretty much figured it out, but I wanted to hear from someone on this group who knew first-hand.

I live on a large lake and have unlimited water resources to my six raised beds. So I soaked some pintos overnight and then planted them this morning. I am hoping for something green to appear in a week or so. I don't know if it is practical for me to grow my own beans since they are so cheap in the store ( unlike tomatoes, which are $2/ lb) but I really like to see rows of green bushy stuff in the garden, and this spring I am trying the beans.

Thanks again for the good advice.

Andy in Eureka, Texas

[Beanman]