Learn Growing Pinto Beans in your garden and containers with this detailed guide and enjoy them in tacos and burritos.
Pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are a popular and easy-to-grow type of bean. These tan or beige beans with speckles come from Mexico, and their name, “pinto,” means “painted” in Spanish. They are often used in Mexican and southwestern cooking because of their creamy texture and earthy flavor. While they are usually dried, you can also enjoy them fresh.
Pinto beans are a type of annual vegetable, meaning they grow for one season. They can grow in many different climates. There are two main types: vine pinto beans that need a trellis to climb and bush pinto beans that grow without support. Choose the type that works best for your garden space.
USDA Zones: 2-11
When to Plant Pinto Beans
Pinto beans, like most beans, need warm soil to grow. Wait until all danger of frost is gone and the soil is at least 60°F. If your summers are short, you can start pinto beans indoors in large pots and move them outside when the weather is warm enough. However, they cannot be grown as seedlings and then transplanted into the ground because they don’t like their roots being disturbed.
To have a steady supply of these beans, plant new seeds every two weeks. To figure out the latest time you can plant, check how many days your beans need to mature and add about two extra weeks for sprouting. Then subtract that total from the date of your first fall frost.
Choosing a Planting Site
Choose a sunny spot to plant pinto beans. If your area has strong winds, pick a protected location. Growing beans in the same spot every year won’t harm the soil, but rotating crops can help prevent pests and diseases.
Plant pinto beans near good companion plants like corn, squash, cucumbers, strawberries, tomatoes, or eggplants. Avoid planting them near onions or garlic.
Pollination
Pinto beans are self-fertile, which means their flowers can pollinate themselves. Bees are attracted to the flowers and can help with pollination.
Propagating Pinto Beans
Pinto beans grow from seeds, so saving seeds from your plants is an easy way to grow more next year.
Let the beans you want to save dry fully on the plant. Once dry, take them out of their pods and throw away any beans that are damaged or diseased. Let the good beans air-dry for a few days in a cool, dark place until they are completely hard. Store them in a jar with a tight lid or a sealed container, and keep them in a cool, dark spot until spring.
Growing Pinto Beans From Seed
To grow pinto beans from seeds, follow the planting steps in this guide. The seeds will sprout in 8 to 14 days.
Before planting, you can treat the seeds with inoculant. This is a product made for beans and peas that contains helpful bacteria. It helps the roots grow nodules that add nitrogen to the soil.
Inoculant products usually suggest soaking the beans and then coating them with the inoculant before
planting. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label.
Types of Pinto Beans
Most pinto beans sold to home gardeners by seed companies are just labeled as “pinto beans” without mentioning a specific variety. Pinto beans with special traits for farming are usually not sold in small amounts. These types include:
Hopi Black– It is a mid-season vining pole-bean cultivar. This variety has been cultivated by Hopi farmers in Arizona. These beans are black and cream colored and mature in 90 days.
Othello– This bush-type variety is known for its high yield. It matures in 90-95 days.
Santa Fe– It is also a mid-season variety with upright growth habits. This new cultivar has large seeds and matures in 88-92 days.
How to Grow Pinto Beans in Pots
Pinto beans grow best in garden soil, but if you have a short summer or no backyard, you can grow them in containers. Use pots that are at least 8 inches wide and fill them with well-draining potting mix and some organic matter. Compact bush-type beans are the best choice since they don’t need a trellis.
TIP: Remember that potted plants require more regular watering and low-nitrogen fertilizer compared to ground plants.
Pot Size
For growing pinto beans, the ideal pot size should be at least 8-10 inches in diameter and 10-12 inches deep. This gives the roots enough space to grow and allows the plant to develop properly. Larger pots are even better if you have the space, as they can hold more soil and retain moisture longer, which is helpful for healthy growth. Make sure the pot has drainage holes to prevent water from pooling and causing root rot.
Requirements for Growing Pinto Beans
Light
Pinto beans need full sunlight, whether grown in pots or directly in the ground. They require at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day to grow well and produce healthy pods. For potted plants, place the containers in a sunny spot, like a south-facing area, where they can get plenty of light. For in-ground plants, choose a garden location that isn’t shaded by trees or buildings.
Adequate sunlight helps the plants grow strong and boosts their ability to produce beans.
Soil
Pinto beans grow best in silty loam soil, but they can also grow in other types of soil if it drains well and has plenty of organic matter. The soil should be slightly acidic to neutral in pH. Avoid using alkaline soil.
Water
Maintain the soil moisture after planting until the seeds sprout and the young plants develop roots. After that, water the plants about 1 inch per week. Let the soil dry slightly between waterings, but remember that beans have shallow roots. If the top 1 to 2 inches of soil feel dry, it’s time to water. This is especially important when the plants are flowering, as not enough water can lead to fewer beans.
Water the plants slowly and deeply at their base until the top few inches of soil are moist. Avoid watering from above, as this can spread diseases.
Temperature and Humidity
Pinto beans won’t sprout in cold soil. To warm up the soil faster in spring, you can use black agricultural plastic. Cut 4-inch holes in the plastic and plant the seeds in these holes.
Pinto beans grow best in warm weather but can struggle in extreme heat. When temperatures go over 93°F, they stop flowering and won’t produce pods. They usually recover after the heatwave, but if you live in a very hot area, use a shade cloth that blocks 20 to 40 percent of the sun to protect them.
In humid weather, their leaves can develop fungal diseases like powdery mildew.
Pinto Beans Care
Fertilizer
Beans produce their own nitrogen, so they don’t need extra fertilizer. If your soil is poor and needs a boost, use a fertilizer with low nitrogen, like 5-10-10 or 3-5-5. However, it’s best to plant the seeds in soil that has been improved with organic matter, such as aged compost, beforehand.
Pests and Diseases
Pinto beans can be attacked by pests like aphids, leafhoppers, and spider mites. These insects suck the sap from the plants, causing leaves to curl, turn yellow, or develop speckles on the leaves and stems.
Another pest that affects pinto beans is the Mexican bean beetle, which makes holes in the leaves, leaving them looking like lace. You can treat infestations with Neem oil or diatomaceous earth, but be aware that these can also harm helpful insects. To protect your plants, you can use row covers until harvest time.
Common diseases that affect pinto beans include bacterial blight, mosaic virus, white mold, and fusarium root rot. To help prevent these diseases, make sure the plants have good airflow and use proper watering methods.
Harvesting
The days to maturity give you an estimate of when your beans will be ready to harvest, but factors like weather can affect the growth rate. Pinto beans can be harvested when they are fresh and green or when they are dry. Fresh beans can be picked when the pods are 4 to 6 inches long and full. For the best taste, shell them and use them right away, or shell, blanch, and freeze them within a couple of days.
Dry pinto beans are ready to harvest when the pods turn yellow or tan and are dry but not so dry that they crack open and spill the seeds. You can either remove the pods from the plant or pull the whole plant and take the pods off later.
Preferably, harvest when the plant is entirely dry, but if the plant is wet from rain, pull it up and hang it upside down in a dry place to let the pods dry fully.
Remove the beans from their pods, then sort through them to discard any broken or moldy beans. To pasteurize them, place the beans in the freezer at 0°F for at least 48 hours, or spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet in the oven at 160°F for 30 minutes. After that, store the beans in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
