Bean question......

[binley100]

Will pinto, blackeyed etc beans that you buy dried in the supermarket grow? and if so do they need soaking first.?

[Two_Sheds]

Yes they will (usually) although I've never managed to get black eyed peas to maturity (too cold here).

I soak all my peas & beans before sowing, except the white ones (which seem to rot)

[ginger ninger]

Yup, I've managed to do this a few times with beans I've acquired of friends. Like T.S I soak my beans before planting.

[zazen999]

I put mine into a sandwich bag with compost or vermiculite, water it and usually in about 5 days there is enough sprouted to pot them up.

Not for another 6 weeks yet though!

[quark1]

I did germination tests last year on some and they seem to work - but not all as mentioned above.

I bought some supermarket broadies - unnamed - and selected 2 pods to dry off slowly.

Have sown 8 around a week ago and 7 have germinated!

Its always worth trying out something like this and I think you'd be surprised as to just how 'old' some stuff can get before it loses its 'germ'! If the alternative is going to be chuck it out - then what have you to lose by trying out?

[binley100]

I was just eyeing them up in tezzies today thinking ......hmm I wonder.?

[zazen999]

That's where I got all my pinto beans from originally.....I sowed half a packet in a spare bed and wham - dried beans for months

[Florence Fennel]

Guess what's on my shopping list this week! I did try to get mung beans last week, but I did an on line Asda, none to buy, went to Tesco with my daughter none to buy. Just had a look at Sainsburys and they do them.

[Two_Sheds]

I did try to get mung beans

You can sprout them to use as beansprouts, but they aren't likely to be productive as plants - they need hot dry conditions
You can grow black (brown) chickpeas here though