On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:18:13 -0700 (PDT), AndyS wrote:

If I take some pinto beans that I buy in a plastic bag at the
supermarket, soak them overnight at room temp, and then plant
them, will they germinate ?

Yup. Also black-eyed peas, red kidney beans, black beans, broad beans,
borlotti beans, chickpeas, you name it. However, be ready to feed them
really well, as they are almost certainly selected for high-input
irrigated cultivation rather than home growing. But if they swell when
you soak them (and especially if they sprout in a bowl as per mung bean
sprouts), they'll grow when planted.
--
Ross McKay, Toronto, NSW Australia
"Read beans and rice, I could eat a plate twice" - Spearhead