# Pinto beans



## Lino (Oct 3, 2016)

I grew pinto beans for the first time this year. I let the plants and pods dry before picking the pods. As I've started to shell them, some of the beans are black or partially black. Are the beans with black on them unsafe and should I discard them? I did an internet search on this and couldn't find any information. Hoping someone has some experience around this they can share.


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## Ellendra (Jul 31, 2013)

Inspect carefully for signs that the black is actually mold, but if they still look ok, I'd chalk it up to cross-pollination in the seed crop. It doesn't happen often with beans, but it does happen.


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

First of all, welcome to the forum.

A couple of things could have happened. Most likely, those with black beans , the pods have touched the ground long enough to absorb moisture and it's just ordinary ground rot that started up. I would discard them and eat the other nice looking ones. The pods of "dry" beans are sort of like sponges, so usually the farmers will harvest when about 70% of the pods are yellow, leaving them on the ground in windrows, and picking them up with the combine when the stems and leaves have dried out somewhat--at about 16% moisture level in the beans themselves. The immature beans that were left in this process are sacrificed thru the combine. And most commercial dry beans are grown in places that have good dry down conditions--low rainfall and low humidity. If you, as a gardener are waiting to get every last bean, you'll have to either pick each yellow pod until you get them all---or, pull the plants and take them to a place where they will dry out--like inside a barn or garage..Still there is a chance you'll get a few beans with brownish skins. I would cook them in a soup where I could camoflauge them .......

There are a few techniques to help beat the moisture/weather factor. First, dry beans should be planted as soon as possible as the soil turns 60 degrees and stays that for three or four mornings at the planting level. A soil thermometer is a big help. It will give them the most amount of growing time--and they'll need that. The planting density and spacing is another thing to look at. You will want to allow lots of air flow during the later part of the season, so rows should be at least 30 inches or more apart, with in the row seed placement rate of no less than four inches apart--that will allow the roots to get stronger so they won't topple over in the summer winds. Another idea might be to plant your rows with the grain of the prevailing winds---usually that is a West--East direction. Should you get a strong wind blast, perhaps the row will be braced plant to plant and not get blown over into the soil in the row middles. I didn't get it done this summer(long story) but after the second cultivation, I usually mulch the rows with the raked leaves from the last Fall. That helps give moisture underneath, for fast growth before the Fall season,and it also keeps any downed pods from touching any wet soil and getting beaten into the ground by rain where they might try to sprout--or rot. (And I paid the price for not getting them mulched--I'll eat a lot of "camo-soup" this winter)...... 

As for what is called black mold--it actually is _white_ mold--a very common, serious mold problem with lots of garden plants. Your beans may have blackish spots or coverings of the survival structures of white mold spores (called sclerotia) that have developed from a white mold attack earlier this summer. If you noticed a lot of white, frothy, moldy spots on the stems, leaves, and pods earlier--then you have the leftovers of white mold fungus. Here is some study material for that subject, which is a study in and of itself and I'm getting too long-winded anyway. Organic techniques, including a bacterial fungicide allowed by NOP are discussed. I hope it will help. If this is truly what you have--I would discard the beans, and start over next year in a different garden spot... http://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/content/white-mold-snap-bean-and-other-vegetable-crops

geo


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## Lino (Oct 3, 2016)

Wow, thanks much! This is all very helpful. I apparently did leave the pods on too long, did plant them too dense, did plant the row north to south, did allow them to touch the ground, and did see some pods with white mold. LOL, it's a wonder I got any good beans. I'll take a look at the link you've provided. Your advice will definitely help next year. Thanks again.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

I grow pinto, great northern and black beans and pick them fresh. If we have a large harvest, we can or freeze.

They taste a lot different this way.


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