Do Pinto Bean Plants Need Light?

Light

• Pinto beans, like all other bean varieties, require bright light. Bean seeds don't germinate in cool soil, and plants don't grow well with insufficient heat. Pinto beans grow best in areas with long growing seasons featuring dry fall weather.

Soil

• Plant pinto beans in a well-drained soil. Avoid areas that are prone to waterlogging or feature heavy clay. Rotating with a grass crop such as sorghum, wheat or corn reduces the chance of disease. The best quality pinto beans and high yields result from fertile soils. Avoid excessive use of nitrogen as this element increases succulent growth, reduces pod growth and increases the rate of disease. High levels of phosphorus slow iron absorption in the plants. Pinto beans also suffer from iron deficiency in alkaline soil with a pH of 8.0 or more.

Seeding

• Plant seeds after all danger of frost is past and the soil has started to warm up. Best germination occurs at temperatures above 50 F. Planting too early and in cold soil will lead to poor germination and seed rotting. Recommended seeding depth is 3 inches in loamy sand and 2 to 2 ½ inches deep in sandy loam. Don't plant very deep as this will affect germination. Avoid planting deeper than 4 inches even when growing in sandy soil.

Growth Stages

• Given optimal, warm soil temperatures, pinto bean seeds germinate in four to eight days. During the second stage, rapid, vegetative growth occurs for 28 to 32 days following germination. The flowers and pods appear during the third stage, and the pods continue to fill with seeds over the next two weeks. Flowers bloom 32 to 40 days after planting. During the fourth and last stage--40 to 50 days from planting time--the seeds start to mature. The beans are ready for harvest 70 to 90 days after planting.