Capitano
Phaseolus vulgaris
Wikimedia Commons
Flat pods avg. 5 1/2-6" and have a rich flavor. Plants are large and semi-upright. Pairs nicely with Dulcina. White seeds. Bush bean.
Harvest
52d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
2–11
USDA hardiness
Height
18-24 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Capitano in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 bean →Zone Map
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Capitano · Zones 2–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | — | July – August | September – August |
| Zone 2 | — | — | June – August | September – September |
| Zone 11 | — | — | January – March | April – May |
| Zone 12 | — | — | January – March | April – May |
| Zone 13 | — | — | January – March | April – May |
| Zone 3 | — | — | June – July | August – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | June – July | August – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | May – June | August – September |
| Zone 6 | — | — | May – June | July – September |
| Zone 7 | — | — | April – June | July – August |
| Zone 8 | — | — | April – May | June – August |
| Zone 9 | — | — | March – April | May – July |
| Zone 10 | — | — | February – April | May – June |
Succession Planting
Direct sow Capitano every 14 days once soil temperatures reach 60°F — that's typically late March to early April in zone 7, April into May in zone 6. At 52 days to harvest, a June 1 sowing still finishes well before first frost in most of those zones. Stop successions once daytime highs are holding above 90°F; heat causes blossom drop and pods set poorly. The UGA Vegetable Garden Calendar recommends a third snap bean planting in May, which fits neatly here — three sowings two weeks apart gives you a 6–8 week harvest window without everything maturing at once.
Complete Growing Guide
Capitano beans thrive when direct sown into warm soil after all danger of frost has passed. Unlike many varieties, these bush beans have no advantage from indoor starting, so wait until soil temperatures reach at least 60°F—ideally 70°F—before sowing directly into the garden. In most regions, this means planting one to two weeks after your last spring frost date. If you're in a cooler climate, use black plastic mulch or row covers to warm the soil beforehand, as Capitano seeds will simply rot if planted too early into cold, wet conditions.
Space Capitano seeds about 4 inches apart in rows that are 18 to 24 inches apart. Push seeds down 1 to 1½ inches deep—not too shallow, or they may dry out before germinating. Before planting, prepare your soil by working in compost or well-rotted manure to improve drainage and fertility. Capitano tolerates average soils well, but beans are nitrogen-fixers and perform best in slightly alkaline to neutral pH soil (around 6.5 to 7.0). Avoid heavy clay, which can cause seed rot and promote fungal diseases.
Water consistently throughout the season, providing about 1 to 1½ inches per week. Capitano's large, semi-upright plants have more leaf surface area than dwarf varieties, so they'll demand steady moisture during flowering and pod development. Water at soil level in the morning to keep foliage dry—bean foliage is susceptible to fungal issues when wet. Once plants are established and flowering, reduce nitrogen fertilizer if you applied any at planting time; excess nitrogen produces lush foliage at the expense of pod production.
Capitano's relatively large pods and vigorous growth attract spider mites during dry spells and Japanese beetles during peak season. Scout plants weekly and handpick beetles early in the morning when they're sluggish. Powdery mildew can appear later in the season on the semi-upright growth; ensure good air circulation by spacing plants correctly and removing any lower leaves that touch soil.
The main mistake gardeners make with Capitano is harvesting too late. These beans develop their best flavor and tender texture when pods are between 5½ and 6 inches long—not at full maturity. Pick every two to three days once pods reach this size. Allowing pods to overmature diverts energy away from new flowering, reducing your overall yield. Regular harvesting also keeps the plants productive through the full 52-day season.
Capitano's bush habit means no trellising is necessary, though succession planting every two weeks until mid-summer extends your harvest window. This variety pairs beautifully with Dulcina for complementary flavors and growth habits in the same space.
Harvesting
Capitano reaches harvest at 52 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 5 1/2-6" at peak. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.
The boat-shaped seed pods are bilaterally symmetrical and can be green, yellow, white, or purple at maturity. There is a wide variety of color and shape choices among cultivars.
Color: Gold/Yellow, Green, Purple/Lavender, White. Type: Legume. Length: > 3 inches. Width: < 1 inch.
Garden value: Edible, Good Dried
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Storage & Preservation
Freshly harvested Capitano pods keep best at 45–50°F with 90–95% humidity in perforated plastic bags, ideally stored in a refrigerator crisper drawer. You can expect 7–10 days of good quality before pods begin to yellow and toughen. For longer storage, freezing works exceptionally well: blanch whole or cut pods for 3 minutes, chill in ice water, drain thoroughly, and freeze in airtight containers or bags for up to eight months. Drying is also reliable—allow pods to mature fully on the plant, shell out the beans, and dry them in a warm, well-ventilated space until they reach hard stage (about 2–3 weeks), then store in airtight containers away from moisture. Canning as dilly beans produces excellent results. Capitano's relatively short 52-day harvest window means you'll want to process beans promptly to avoid losing peak flavor and texture.
History & Origin
Capitano is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.
Origin: Tropical America
Advantages
- +Flat pods with rich flavor make Capitano ideal for gourmet cooking applications.
- +Semi-upright growth habit reduces pod contact with soil and disease pressure.
- +Fast 52-day maturity allows multiple succession plantings in single growing season.
- +Large plants provide substantial yields from relatively compact garden space.
- +White seeds offer storage advantages and traditional culinary appeal.
Considerations
- -Large plant size requires adequate spacing and may crowd smaller garden plots.
- -Bush bean habit means all pods mature simultaneously creating harvest glut.
- -Semi-upright growth still requires staking support in windy locations for best results.
Companion Plants
Corn and squash are Capitano's most practical neighbors — corn gives the vines something to grab, and squash leaves shade the soil enough to suppress weeds that compete for moisture at the same root zone. French marigolds (Tagetes patula) deter aphids and bean beetles; plant them at the bed edges so they don't eat into the 4–6 inch bean spacing. Radishes can pull double duty as a quick trap crop for aphids if you have the room. Keep onions and garlic out of the bed entirely — both are allelopathic to beans and will suppress germination; sunflowers are a different problem, competing hard enough for water that beans within 12–18 inches tend to come up short.
Plant Together
Marigold
Repels bean beetles, aphids, and nematodes while attracting beneficial insects
Corn
Provides natural trellis support for climbing beans in Three Sisters planting
Squash
Ground cover reduces weeds and retains soil moisture, completes Three Sisters guild
Carrots
Beans fix nitrogen in soil which carrots utilize, carrots help break up soil
Radishes
Quick-growing radishes break up soil and are harvested before beans need space
Nasturtium
Trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, edible flowers attract pollinators
Rosemary
Repels bean beetles and carrot flies with strong aromatic oils
Lettuce
Benefits from bean's nitrogen fixation and provides living mulch
Keep Apart
Onions
Can inhibit bean growth and nitrogen fixation through root compounds
Garlic
Allelopathic compounds can stunt bean growth and reduce yields
Sunflowers
Compete heavily for nutrients and water, may shade out bean plants
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2346400)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Halo Blight (High); One or more races of Bean Mosaic Virus (High)
Common Pests
Bean beetles, aphids, spider mites
Diseases
Bean rust, anthracnose, bean mosaic virus
Troubleshooting Capitano
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Leaves with ragged chunks missing, sometimes down to the midrib, on plants 6–8 weeks old
Likely Causes
- Mexican bean beetle (Epilachna varivestis) — adults and larvae skeletonize leaves from the underside
- Bean leaf beetle (Cerotoma trifurcata) — chews round holes through the leaf blade
What to Do
- 1.Flip leaves and look for yellow egg clusters or orange larvae; crush them by hand or knock them into soapy water
- 2.Spray neem oil (1–2% solution) in the evening when beneficials aren't active — repeat every 7 days
- 3.The UGA Pest Management Handbook lists both beetles among the top 10 bean pests; scouting every 2–3 days is your best control, especially weeks 6–8 after germination
Small orange pustules on the undersides of leaves, upper surface showing pale yellow flecks
Likely Causes
- Bean rust (Uromyces appendiculatus) — a fungal pathogen that spreads fast in warm, humid conditions above 60°F
- Planting beans in the same bed for multiple consecutive seasons; the fungus overwinters in plant debris
What to Do
- 1.Remove and bag (don't compost) any affected leaves as soon as you spot pustules
- 2.Rotate beans out of that bed for at least 2 seasons — NC State Extension flags continuous legume plantings as a primary rust risk
- 3.If caught early, a sulfur-based fungicide applied every 7–10 days can slow spread; it won't reverse existing damage
Mottled yellow-green mosaic pattern across young leaves, with puckered or distorted new growth
Likely Causes
- Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) — transmitted by aphids, whose populations spike during hot dry stretches
- Using saved seed from infected plants
What to Do
- 1.Pull and discard infected plants immediately — there's no cure, and they act as a virus reservoir for the rest of the bed
- 2.Knock back aphid populations with a hard water spray or insecticidal soap; cutting off the vector slows spread to healthy plants
- 3.Next season, start with certified disease-free seed; Capitano is an open-pollinated heirloom, so seed source quality varies more than with commercial hybrids
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take Capitano beans to mature?▼
Is Capitano a good bean variety for beginners?▼
Can you grow Capitano beans in containers?▼
What does Capitano bean taste like?▼
When should I plant Capitano beans?▼
What makes Capitano different from other bush beans?▼
Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
- BreederJohnny's Selected Seeds
- USDAUSDA FoodData Central
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.