What is the best way to transplant tomato plants?Transplanting tomatoes? Here's our five top tips for the best way to transplant tomato plants into your garden: 1. Harden off your indoor-started tomato seedlings first so they don't get shocked by sun, pick an overcast day, or plant in the morning or evening so you aren't planting in full sun. 2. Amend soil where you will be planting with homemade compost if you have it. You can also put some compost deep into the planting hole. 3. Pinch off some of the lower leaves. 4. Remove s...
Roasted Green Chile ChickenGreat for lazy days you want to throw things in a pot and walk away. Ingredients:1 tsp Oregano1 tsp Cumin 3 pounds Chicken (bone-in preferred)4 slices of bacon (chopped)1/2 Yellow onion (large dice)1 10oz. can crushed tomatoes (or finely chopped fresh tomatoes)1/2 C chopped hatch green chiles (roasted)Cilantro for garnishInstructions:1. In a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot. Bring to medium heat. Throw in dried spices and roast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly so they don't burn (no oil)....
Green Chile Sauce RecipeGreen Chile Sauce Goes great on everything! Use it on top of burritos, roasted vegetables, potatoes, tacos, sandwiches, burgers, or use it as a salsa with chips. Ingredients:4 Tbs butter1/2 yellow onion (diced)6 Tbs all purpose flour1Tbs chicken bullion1 1/2 C water 1/2 cup chopped hatch green chile (roasted)salt and pepper to taste Directions:1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and add in onions. Saute onions until they become fragrant and translucent. 2. Once onions are cooked, turn down t...
Why are my seedlings falling over?Why are my seedlings falling over?It could be Damping Off. These are common questions from gardeners starting vegetables from seed: Why are my seedings dying after sprouting? Why are my seedlings leggy? Why are my seedlings wilting? Why do my seedlings keep dying? Seedling above is affected by damping off. Every year we get hear from some gardeners that their seedlings mysteriously started wilting, flopping over, and dying – most of the time this is caused by damping off, an invisible kil...
Largest PeppersLooking to grow the world’s Largest Peppers? World’s Largest Pepper If you're looking for the world record largest pepper, look no further than the Big Jim chile – this humongous pepper is the current Guinness Book of World Record holder for being the largest chile pepper in the world! These giant peppers can grow up to 14" in length, but typically range from 8-10". This, the largest chili pepper variety, is sure to please any pepper lover! The extra large Big Jim Legacy Chile ...
Salsa Garden LayoutSALSA GARDEN LAYOUT Salsa Garden Layout If you're planning a Salsa Garden, here's some tips! Give tomato plants a lot of space! You can plant jalapenos closer together as they don't grow as large as tomato plants. Make sure to give them enough room away from the tomatoes so they don't get engulfed! Cilantro and Green onions can be grown along the sides of your garden as a border or in between the tomatoes and peppers. We put together this sample Salsa Garden Layout above – bu...
Which is hotter red or green Hatch chile?Which is hotter, red or green Hatch chile? You may think that red chile is hotter than green Hatch chile, but it really depends on the variety! Did you know that all Hatch chile varieties eventually turn red as they ripen to full maturity? That doesn't mean they necessarily get hotter – as they redden they develop deeper often sweeter flavor, while the heat level doesn't typically increase. Hot Hatch Chile varieties are usually always hot, and mild chile varieties are usually alw...
Salsa GardenSALSA GARDEN If you're like us, you can never get enough salsa! So why not grow your own salsa garden? Looking for salsa garden seeds? We have you covered with over 100 peppers from around the world, plus lots of heirloom tomatoes, too, that make the BEST salsa ever! Grow your own salsa garden! Salsa Garden Kit Check out our salsa garden kit and grow your own salsa! Our Salsa Garden Seeds are perfect for any salsa-lover. Our fabulous Salsa Garden Kit has four packets of seeds to get your...
Why are my seedings dying after sprouting?Why are my seedlings falling over? This is a common question we get from gardeners starting seeds.It could be Damping Off. Gardeners often run into damping off – where their seedlings mysteriously start to wilt, flop over and die. Besides letting them dry out, the most common cause of seedlings dying is by damping off. This invisible seedling killer is caused by pathogens that kill seedlings after they germinate. The affected seedlings will usually have shriveled stem bases, and it will flop...
Pruning young Tomato PlantsWhen growing tomato seeds, we think that Pruning young tomato plants is important to help them grow into the most productive tomato plants in the long run. Here's a video of us pruning a young tomato plant. While it's a simple thing, it's still not easy for us to prune these off emotionally, but it's totally worth it! Clipping off First Flowers of Tomatoes will help them put more energy into growing bigger! It's hard to do but it is good to do it! After they grow l...
Seed Contest: Spring 2023THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED! We love seeing your photos! Congratulations to Cat & Angela, our two lucky winners of a $25 GIFT CARD & SEED CATALOG! ORIGINAL CONTEST DEETS: Here’s how to enter: 1. Post a photo of your Sandia Seed packets, stickers, gardens & harveston Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram 2. Add hashtag #sandiaseed in your post’s description for a chance to win! Even though this contest is over, we still love seeing your pepper and vegetable posts, so tag us with #san...
Starting Seeds to Trade at Plant SwapsStarting Seeds to Trade at Plant Swaps One of the great things about starting seeds is you often end up with many more seedlings that you know what to do with. There is nothing better than sharing your beloved seedlings with other gardeners. Get together with your gardening neighbors and friends to swap – or join a local plant swap to share your extras and also adopt a few seedlings to grow something new! Many libraries, local Wild Ones Chapters, gardening clubs, and community gardens host f...
When to Harvest Carolina ReapersWondering when to Harvest Carolina Reapers? You can harvest Carolina Reaper pods when they mature to red, typically after at least 90+ days of growing from seed. The Carolina Reaper is a super hot pepper – in fact, it still holds the Guinness world record for being the hottest pepper. However, just because they are the hottest pepper in the world, the Carolina Reaper isn't harder to grow than other peppers! Most importantly, Carolina Reaper plants need a long growing season. Consequently,...
Why are my pepper plants turning yellow?A common question from gardeners is:“Why are my pepper plants turning yellow?” Yellow leaves on peppers can be caused by a few issues. Here are a few causes of yellow leaves on your pepper plants: #1 Cause: OverwateringThis is what we think is the most common cause of yellowing pepper plants. Some gardeners give their pepper plants too much "love" in the form of water, resulting in drowning their roots in soggy soil. It doesn't take long for pepper plants in soggy soil to sta...
When to Plant Pepper SeedsWhen to Plant Pepper Seeds Many of our customers ask us "Is now a good time to start pepper seeds?" – and we always say it depends on where you are and what your seed starting setup is like. We typically recommend that pepper seeds be started indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last average frost date. Depending on where you live, the time to plant peppers and other warm-weather vegetables like tomatoes is usually late May or early June, but can be earlier for warmer regions. We don'...
How to Grow Bell PeppersWondering How to Grow Bell Peppers?Here are our top tips for Growing Bell Peppers: Bell peppers are relatively easy to grow, but here are a few tips so you can have the best success! First, plant pepper seeds at least 8-10 weeks before your area's last frost date. Plant seeds in pre-moistened well-draining seedling starter mix and bury the seeds about 1/4" deep. Use a seedling heat mat to speed up germination – this will help keep the seeds warm, ideally 80-90˚ F is optimal for fast...
What is the best way to transplant tomato plants?
Transplanting tomatoes? Here's our five top tips for the best way to transplant tomato plants into your garden: 1. Harden off your indoor-started tomato seedlings first so they don't get shocked by sun, pick an overcast day, or plant in the morning or evening so you aren't planting in full sun. 2. Amend soil where you will be planting with homemade compost if you have it. You can also put some compost deep into the planting hole. 3. Pinch off some of the lower leaves. 4. Remove s...
Roasted Green Chile Chicken
Great for lazy days you want to throw things in a pot and walk away. Ingredients:1 tsp Oregano1 tsp Cumin 3 pounds Chicken (bone-in preferred)4 slices of bacon (chopped)1/2 Yellow onion (large dice)1 10oz. can crushed tomatoes (or finely chopped fresh tomatoes)1/2 C chopped hatch green chiles (roasted)Cilantro for garnishInstructions:1. In a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot. Bring to medium heat. Throw in dried spices and roast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly so they don't burn (no oil)....
Green Chile Sauce Recipe
Green Chile Sauce Goes great on everything! Use it on top of burritos, roasted vegetables, potatoes, tacos, sandwiches, burgers, or use it as a salsa with chips. Ingredients:4 Tbs butter1/2 yellow onion (diced)6 Tbs all purpose flour1Tbs chicken bullion1 1/2 C water 1/2 cup chopped hatch green chile (roasted)salt and pepper to taste Directions:1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and add in onions. Saute onions until they become fragrant and translucent. 2. Once onions are cooked, turn down t...
Why are my seedlings falling over?
Why are my seedlings falling over?It could be Damping Off. These are common questions from gardeners starting vegetables from seed: Why are my seedings dying after sprouting? Why are my seedlings leggy? Why are my seedlings wilting? Why do my seedlings keep dying? Seedling above is affected by damping off. Every year we get hear from some gardeners that their seedlings mysteriously started wilting, flopping over, and dying – most of the time this is caused by damping off, an invisible kil...
Largest Peppers
Looking to grow the world’s Largest Peppers? World’s Largest Pepper If you're looking for the world record largest pepper, look no further than the Big Jim chile – this humongous pepper is the current Guinness Book of World Record holder for being the largest chile pepper in the world! These giant peppers can grow up to 14" in length, but typically range from 8-10". This, the largest chili pepper variety, is sure to please any pepper lover! The extra large Big Jim Legacy Chile ...
Salsa Garden Layout
SALSA GARDEN LAYOUT Salsa Garden Layout If you're planning a Salsa Garden, here's some tips! Give tomato plants a lot of space! You can plant jalapenos closer together as they don't grow as large as tomato plants. Make sure to give them enough room away from the tomatoes so they don't get engulfed! Cilantro and Green onions can be grown along the sides of your garden as a border or in between the tomatoes and peppers. We put together this sample Salsa Garden Layout above – bu...
Which is hotter red or green Hatch chile?
Which is hotter, red or green Hatch chile? You may think that red chile is hotter than green Hatch chile, but it really depends on the variety! Did you know that all Hatch chile varieties eventually turn red as they ripen to full maturity? That doesn't mean they necessarily get hotter – as they redden they develop deeper often sweeter flavor, while the heat level doesn't typically increase. Hot Hatch Chile varieties are usually always hot, and mild chile varieties are usually alw...
Salsa Garden
SALSA GARDEN If you're like us, you can never get enough salsa! So why not grow your own salsa garden? Looking for salsa garden seeds? We have you covered with over 100 peppers from around the world, plus lots of heirloom tomatoes, too, that make the BEST salsa ever! Grow your own salsa garden! Salsa Garden Kit Check out our salsa garden kit and grow your own salsa! Our Salsa Garden Seeds are perfect for any salsa-lover. Our fabulous Salsa Garden Kit has four packets of seeds to get your...
Why are my seedings dying after sprouting?
Why are my seedlings falling over? This is a common question we get from gardeners starting seeds.It could be Damping Off. Gardeners often run into damping off – where their seedlings mysteriously start to wilt, flop over and die. Besides letting them dry out, the most common cause of seedlings dying is by damping off. This invisible seedling killer is caused by pathogens that kill seedlings after they germinate. The affected seedlings will usually have shriveled stem bases, and it will flop...
Pruning young Tomato Plants
When growing tomato seeds, we think that Pruning young tomato plants is important to help them grow into the most productive tomato plants in the long run. Here's a video of us pruning a young tomato plant. While it's a simple thing, it's still not easy for us to prune these off emotionally, but it's totally worth it! Clipping off First Flowers of Tomatoes will help them put more energy into growing bigger! It's hard to do but it is good to do it! After they grow l...
Seed Contest: Spring 2023
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED! We love seeing your photos! Congratulations to Cat & Angela, our two lucky winners of a $25 GIFT CARD & SEED CATALOG! ORIGINAL CONTEST DEETS: Here’s how to enter: 1. Post a photo of your Sandia Seed packets, stickers, gardens & harveston Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram 2. Add hashtag #sandiaseed in your post’s description for a chance to win! Even though this contest is over, we still love seeing your pepper and vegetable posts, so tag us with #san...
Starting Seeds to Trade at Plant Swaps
Starting Seeds to Trade at Plant Swaps One of the great things about starting seeds is you often end up with many more seedlings that you know what to do with. There is nothing better than sharing your beloved seedlings with other gardeners. Get together with your gardening neighbors and friends to swap – or join a local plant swap to share your extras and also adopt a few seedlings to grow something new! Many libraries, local Wild Ones Chapters, gardening clubs, and community gardens host f...
When to Harvest Carolina Reapers
Wondering when to Harvest Carolina Reapers? You can harvest Carolina Reaper pods when they mature to red, typically after at least 90+ days of growing from seed. The Carolina Reaper is a super hot pepper – in fact, it still holds the Guinness world record for being the hottest pepper. However, just because they are the hottest pepper in the world, the Carolina Reaper isn't harder to grow than other peppers! Most importantly, Carolina Reaper plants need a long growing season. Consequently,...
Why are my pepper plants turning yellow?
A common question from gardeners is:“Why are my pepper plants turning yellow?” Yellow leaves on peppers can be caused by a few issues. Here are a few causes of yellow leaves on your pepper plants: #1 Cause: OverwateringThis is what we think is the most common cause of yellowing pepper plants. Some gardeners give their pepper plants too much "love" in the form of water, resulting in drowning their roots in soggy soil. It doesn't take long for pepper plants in soggy soil to sta...
When to Plant Pepper Seeds
When to Plant Pepper Seeds Many of our customers ask us "Is now a good time to start pepper seeds?" – and we always say it depends on where you are and what your seed starting setup is like. We typically recommend that pepper seeds be started indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last average frost date. Depending on where you live, the time to plant peppers and other warm-weather vegetables like tomatoes is usually late May or early June, but can be earlier for warmer regions. We don'...
How to Grow Bell Peppers
Wondering How to Grow Bell Peppers?Here are our top tips for Growing Bell Peppers: Bell peppers are relatively easy to grow, but here are a few tips so you can have the best success! First, plant pepper seeds at least 8-10 weeks before your area's last frost date. Plant seeds in pre-moistened well-draining seedling starter mix and bury the seeds about 1/4" deep. Use a seedling heat mat to speed up germination – this will help keep the seeds warm, ideally 80-90˚ F is optimal for fast...
