Hi Elizabeth

Since we are having warmer winters than usual, you probably can plant now in your zone and be able to get a harvest. The problem with planting dried beans from the store would be that you don't know the growing habits, like in the case of lima beans the bush varieties are not as prolific as the pole and you also have to be prepared with a trellis for them. If you are going to eat them as shellies, then is a good idea otherwise as a dried beans, the commercial ones are cheaper where there is a lot of turnaround are also fresh.

If you want to experiment coming the cooler weather are chickpeas, they are delicious when fresh, they are small plants that don't need a trellis, taste better than fresh peas...

Silvia

I always wanted to try growing Anasazi beans. I guess I should of did that when I lived in Az lol.

Sultry, tepary beans cooked the right way are awesome! there was a casino that I used to go in AZ with a great chef that did them in a delicious way Native American style.

Silvia

grow something you can't normally find in the store. shoot I paid less than $1 for a bag of pinto beans.

Yea, but... I ate extremely fresh dried pintos once and they were out of this world. Everyone would be a bean eater if they tasted those!

I agree there is such a huge difference between fresh and older, dried ones!

I have some anasazi bean seed that I've never planted. Maybe one day. I bought it a couple of years ago. I tested it this year, and the seeds are still good, I just have nowhere to put them. Maybe I'll just give them away.