OK,since no one else answered this, I'll take a stab at it. I only tried them once a few years back, and, while a pretty plant, the yield is so low it really isn't worth the effort. Each plant will only yield a small handful of pods, each with one to possibly two beans in it. But still, it is fun to do once, just to see how they do.

I'm sure that, as long as they're raw garbanzos, the ones from the grocery store would sprout. I guess to know for sure, buy a small quantity and pre-sprout a handful between moist paper towels in a baggie for a few days. Then you'll know for sure if they'll grow.

Pre-soaking for a few hours would probably help them to germinate.

I would NOT start them early indoors, as this is the type of plant that easily stunts when the roots are restricted. I would direct-sow outdoors about the time of your last frost, after soil is reasonably warm.

I think it takes about 3 months from sowing to harvest. And yes, you can use them as a green shell bean if you wish. To dry them, allow them to mature to the point they are brownish (or whatever color they're going to be, there are also black and green varieties), then shell and put them in a single layer on a cookie sheet or similar, and put it somewhere warm, airy, and dry for a week or so, stirring every day or two to allow even drying. Then, bag and store somewhere meal moths and pantry beetles won't get to them (I store my dried beans in the freezer).

Never heard about the "oily substance" so I can't really advise you on this, although I highly doubt it would be a problem growing them near other plants.

Good luck. As I said, the one time I grew them, I thought they were a very pretty plant, but the yield is very low.

Hi!

Thanks for getting back to me. I am going to assume that the yield will be low...from what I have been reading, it appears that if the pods get wet they rot...we live in Pennsylvania, and it's very humid here in the summer. But, here again, they're going out front, so if anything they'll hopefully look nice...and if I get enough beans to make one meal out of them, my daughter will get a kick out of it (added bonus!)

Thanks again!

Pam

I sprouted a handful from a bag of grocery store beans and have decided to try my hand at them.

Thanks for this thread and the feedback denninmi. I was worrying about yield myself wont waste the time now.

I think that garbanzos might be a good cover crop in a mild climate....maybe that's what I will think about doing.

garbanzos would be an expensive cover-crop. Why not try lentils or something?

expensive--when you can get them in 1-pound bags?

From what I have learned, garbanzo grows well mostly in arid poor soil best.
Also it needs cool sumer weather. It grows bushy and depending on coditions
there may be tens of pods on it each with one or two peas.
So is the lentil. They both need full sun.