06/18/2026
🌱PLANT A SEED, READ!📚
Weekly Seed Spotlight
Seed: Pinto Bean
Also known as: Phaseolus vulgaris
Why plant these: Pinto beans are easy to grow and provide a lot of nutritional value to our diets as they are high in fiber, low calorie, and a good source of vitamin C. Dry beans are also excellent sources of nutrients.
How to grow: These plants do best in full sun, either in ground or in a container 12”+ big. They benefit from a light layer of compost added to the soil upon planting. Depending on the variety, they can grow 2-6 feet tall but are considered bush beans so they don’t generally require support. They may benefit from a single stake to keep them upright if they get top heavy.
When to harvest: To use or eat right away, harvest when pods are plump and full (60-90 days after planting) but before the seeds develop. For dry beans that keep longer, delay harvest (90-150 days) until the pods are yellow and dry.
Did you know? There have been several types of beans available in our Community Seed Library, located upstairs in the Clear Lake Public Library. One of our seed partners, Central Gardens of North Iowa, provided a bunch (no pun intended) of pinto bean seeds last year!
