Miriamm, I think pintos are a bush bean. Vining beans would be scarlet runner beans or purple hyacinth beans for flowers or for plain ole vine beans kentucky wonder pole beans. Bev

I've heard that runner beans are edible (see link below). I'm growing the "Painted Lady" runner beans from www.seedsavers.org this summer. Very pretty bi-colored flower. They're supposed to run 15 feet or more.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bountiful Gardens Catalog Description of Runner Beans

A big thank you to Bev and McStargazer for your help as well as those of you who emailed me direct. I fell better equipped now that I have a bit more info of what is available. Since the plants are about 7" high now, I guess I'll put them in pots, however, if I should leave them in the ground (I'm short on space) how far apart should the starter plants be? How tall and wide can I expect them to get and my last (I promise) question is how long does it take the bean to grow. What does it look like at maturity? Also, full sun or shade. It looks like a circus on my patio w/all my makeshift shade things. lol. Again, thank you for the wealth of info. The black-eyed Susan sounded nice and pretty as well as the squash w/orange flowers.
All the best, Miriam

Welcome Miriam:

Isn't it wonderful to watch something grow from nothing? I plant to do the pinto bean thing later this year.

Here is an interesting way to harvest those pintos easily:

http://www.geocities.com/cicada_ridge/beans/beans.htm

What? no greens to go with those beans?

I love the scarlett runner beans. They are good young or old. I grow they for the seeds for next year. The best thing I have done with them is to put strings up on all the south and west walls over the windows of my house. They shade and cool the house and I can watch the hummingbirds from any window. The hummers love the bright red flowers.

Any bean dried or fresh that is in a store is going to be a bush bean. They are grown by comercial farmers that use machines to harvest the beans. Field hands aren't cheap you know. Not even the illegal ones.