When to Pick TomatoesThis Chef's Choice Orange Tomato is getting soft and ready to pick. How do you know when your tomatoes are ready? You know that tomatoes are ready to pick when their skin has changed color, is glossy and there is no green tinge. You will also know a tomato is ready to be picked when it begins to lose its firmness. Once they start to turn to their expected color, just gently squeeze your tomatoes to see if it is firm or gives a bit – if they are starting to get soft, tomatoes are ripe and...
Calabacitas RecipeThe go-to fresh vegetable preparation in New Mexico. Calabacitas always contains summer squash, usually with corn and green chile for extra flavor and texture. Preparing calabacitas is fast, easy, and forgiving so feel free to make it your own. Ingredients 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 pounds mixed summer squash (such as zucchini, or yellow straight-neck squash), sliced thin or in bite-size cubes 1 medium onion, chopped (you can also use green bunching onions) 2 small to...
What Veggies to Plant in MayWondering what seeds you can plant in May for your food garden? May is a great time to direct sow vegetable seeds for summer. While you may have already started seeds for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants indoors 4-8 weeks ago, you likely still have them growing indoors until it has warmed up to 50-60˚F at night consistently. If you haven't started those seeds yet, you could try some of our short season pepper seeds or short season tomato seeds in May as they grow quickly. And of course...
How to grow jalapeno peppers from seedsHere are our top tips for growing jalapeño seeds: 1. Use Fresh Jalapeno SeedsWhen perfectly stored, jalapeno seeds can be viable for 25+ years, but realistically they'll last about 2-5 years with the best germination rates. Older seeds won't have as good of germination but that doesn't mean you can't use them, if they germinate you're off to the jalapeno races. Store jalapeno seeds in a cool, dark, dry environment to help them last longer.2. Keep Jalapeno Seeds War...
How to care for container-grown peppersGrowing peppers in containers is a great way to expand your gardening space. As long as you have an area with 6+ hours of sun, you can grow peppers, even on a balcony in the city. First, make sure to pick good pepper varieties that grow well in containers as they are well-suited to growing in pots. Here are our top tips for the best care for container-grown peppers: Container Size: Select a large pot or container with a 12" + diameter and about 5 gallons in size to allow room for the ro...
Jalapeno Salsa RecipeA classic, this Jalapeno Salsa Recipe is sure to please all salsa connoisseurs! Jalapeno Salsa Recipe 2-3 cups of chopped Fresh Tomatoes(or a jar or large 28oz can of preserved tomatoes)1 Bunch of fresh Cilantro leaves(use as much as you'd like)1-3+ Jalapenos - any varietyNote: You can also use any fresh or dried hot peppers for this recipe (Santa Fe Grande Peppers, Cayenne Peppers, Habanero Peppers, Thai Hot Peppers, Red Cherry Hot Peppers, Ghost Peppers, you name it!1/2 Onion, Dic...
Vegetable Container GardeningVegetable Container Gardening:The best seeds to grow Even if you don't have a lot of space, vegetable container gardening is possible so you can have your own homegrown veggies and herbs. Starting Seeds for Vegetable Container Gardens: You can start many seeds in a sunny window, or get some inexpensive led or flourescent grow lights and start seeds under the lights to get them growing strong for transplanting into their final containers or pots come spring. The cost of starting your cont...
What Seeds to Plant in June - Companion Plants!Wondering what seeds you should plant in June? June is a great time to plant companion plants with your peppers, tomatoes and other veggies. There is a great range of seeds to choose from that you can plant in June! Cilantro - great for salsas, and the flowers attract lots of beneficial insects and produce more seeds (also known as Coriander) Cherry Belle Radish are super fast growing! Great companion plant to grow alongside peppers or tomatoes. Leaves are edible, too, in addition to ...
Mild Peppers to GrowThere are so many tasty mild peppers to grow for people who don't want a lot of spice or any spice in their food. You can grow completely sweet peppers with 0 Scovilles (no heat), or you can grow mild pepper seeds with just a dash of spice. Check our our List of Peppers by Heat for all the mild peppers we carry at the top of the list - we carry seeds for over 101 peppers of the world, and there are so many unusual, exotic and delicious mild pepper varieties to grow for your kitchen. Check...
Top 5 Peppers to Grow in 2025Here's our Top 5 Peppers to Grow in 2025 Make 2025 great with some super tasty (and spicy) new peppers that are sure to boost those endorphins and delight your tastebuds: #1 Tasmanian Ghost Pepper A new pepper in our lineup, this fruity pepper has nice flavor until the ferocious bite arrives. The chances of being attacked by a Tasmanian Ghost are very high after you chew it up swallow it down under! The aroma and flavor is fruity up front then forget about it – it's HOT! Great for ...
Types of Habaneros - Listed by Heat!Types of Habaneros: We think Habaneros are one of the best tasting hot peppers, and we have many varieties of Habaneros that you can grow in your garden! Habaneros are aromatic chile peppers with intense and pungent heat. Their spicy heat and citrusy fresh flavor go well with so many foods, and they make delicious hot sauces and salsas. Habaneros are easy to grow, and do great in pots. How many different types of Habanero peppers are there?There are many varieties of Habaneros, we have listed...
Types of Peppers to GrowAt Sandia Seed we have seeds for over 101 peppers of the world to grow in your garden! There are many types of peppers to grow, ranging from sweet to super hot, so there is a pepper for everyone. What is the Best Pepper to Grow? Golly, it's really hard to choose just one pepper considering the huge range of flavors, heat levels and colors they provide. Sorry, but it's just too hard to narrow down to just one pepper, so here are a few of our top favorites for the best peppers to ...
Growing Tomatoes in PotsYes, you can grow tomatoes in pots! But, we do recommend larger pots – half whiskey barrels or pots of that size are best for most regular tomatoes. What type of tomatoes do well in pots? While you can pretty much grow any tomato in a large pot (don't forget to have trellises or obelisks for support), there are also tomato varieties that were bred to be smaller in plant size and do well in pots. You can even grow them with flowers, herbs and/or peppers to have a colorful veggie pot! W...
Different types of Jalapeno PeppersJalapeños:There’s not just one kind! We have not just one but TEN different kinds of Jalapeños! Grow any of these jalapeño seeds in your garden for adding to salsas, hot sauces, making jalapeño poppers, pickled jalapenos, and other recipes! Jalapeños are some of the easiest peppers to grow from seed, and many of them are some of the earliest peppers to harvest – so they're great for shorter growing seasons. These productive and pretty plants grow well in large containers, too! Growing d...
Chimayó Chile - Grow your own!The Chimayó Chile is one of our favorite peppers in the world! They have a unique and different flavor that imparts pure deliciousness to many dishes. Many chefs believe that the Chimayó Chile is the most delicious chile pepper in the American southwest. The Chimayó Chile is known by locals in New Mexico as well as by connoisseurs around the world for being one of the tastiest chile you can get your hands on. In fact, NPR recently did a story on this rare treat, give it a listen to get insp...
Peppers for PicklingWhat are the best peppers for pickling? What kind of peppers are used in pickling?Most peppers work great for pickling, but some of our favorites for pickling include Wax Peppers such as Banana Peppers, Hot Hungarian Wax Peppers, Sweet Hungarian Wax Peppers, Cascabellas, Sweet Cherry peppers, Hot Cherry Peppers, Fresno peppers, and of course any Jalapeno makes a great pickled pepper. Pickling peppers is a great way to use up a lot of peppers and preserve the harvest! Here are some of our f...
Fantastic! I will be ordering from Sandiaseed from now on.
Germination for nearly all of my varieties was 3-5 days (95% - 100% success rate). My varieties include: Red Ghost, Carolina Reaper, Trinidad Scorpion, Devils Tongue, Cayenne Ring of Fire, Habenero Red, Yellow Jamaican, Paprika Numex, and Bolivian Rainbow. Another thing that I really appreciated is that each packet seemed to contain 20% more seeds than indicated (each 10 seed pack contained 12 seeds) - Not sure if that is standard but it was a nice bonus.
I've found that when you combine roasted carrots, habaneros, lime juice and garlic, it will make the best hot sauce of your life. I think it's the sweetness and depth of the carrots that make the sauce even better, and pairs perfectly with the habanero heat. I got the inspiration from one of my favorite store-bought hot sauces, Marie Sharp's Habanero hot sauce. Sometimes I add some of your Chef's orange tomatoes too to make more of it, and they also give more flavor to the hot sauce and help tame the heat a bit. I grow these in my garden every year along with your orange habaneros, orange tomatoes and other hot peppers and veggies. Very reliable.
These fabulous peppers added lots of color to our patio pots. So pretty in multiple colors, plus you can pick them and add to salsa for a nice spicy kick. These are fun in any ornamental edible garden.
We let these hang dry, then ground them up – they made the tastiest pepper flakes. They have a nice kick, but good flavor too. Easy to grow plants, pretty peppers.
Great seeds, good germination, plants grow quickly and produce lots of pods for roasting. Great flavor and just the right amount of spice. We grow these every year in our garden in Utah.
I tried these purple Cherokee seeds on 2024. This is the first time growing these purple Cherokees and were amazed at the ease of germination and taste
These germinated in two days. I started them in midsummer and they fruited by late fall in my zone 10b garden and are overwintering just fine. I’ll have more to harvest by late spring. I made my red sauce for pozole for Christmas with my harvest!
Big Chiles with just enough heat to add to green enchilada's. The flavor after roasting is fantastic. Since green chile roasting is not a local thing in Eastern Washington we us a weed burner. The smell of roasting peppers is heavenly.
My favorite green chili to grow. Plenty of heat and after roasting sit perfectly on a hamburger. Also my wonderful wife makes Puelo Chili jam that is a real crowd pleaser
When to Pick Tomatoes
This Chef's Choice Orange Tomato is getting soft and ready to pick. How do you know when your tomatoes are ready? You know that tomatoes are ready to pick when their skin has changed color, is glossy and there is no green tinge. You will also know a tomato is ready to be picked when it begins to lose its firmness. Once they start to turn to their expected color, just gently squeeze your tomatoes to see if it is firm or gives a bit – if they are starting to get soft, tomatoes are ripe and...
Calabacitas Recipe
The go-to fresh vegetable preparation in New Mexico. Calabacitas always contains summer squash, usually with corn and green chile for extra flavor and texture. Preparing calabacitas is fast, easy, and forgiving so feel free to make it your own. Ingredients 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 pounds mixed summer squash (such as zucchini, or yellow straight-neck squash), sliced thin or in bite-size cubes 1 medium onion, chopped (you can also use green bunching onions) 2 small to...
What Veggies to Plant in May
Wondering what seeds you can plant in May for your food garden? May is a great time to direct sow vegetable seeds for summer. While you may have already started seeds for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants indoors 4-8 weeks ago, you likely still have them growing indoors until it has warmed up to 50-60˚F at night consistently. If you haven't started those seeds yet, you could try some of our short season pepper seeds or short season tomato seeds in May as they grow quickly. And of course...
How to grow jalapeno peppers from seeds
Here are our top tips for growing jalapeño seeds: 1. Use Fresh Jalapeno SeedsWhen perfectly stored, jalapeno seeds can be viable for 25+ years, but realistically they'll last about 2-5 years with the best germination rates. Older seeds won't have as good of germination but that doesn't mean you can't use them, if they germinate you're off to the jalapeno races. Store jalapeno seeds in a cool, dark, dry environment to help them last longer.2. Keep Jalapeno Seeds War...
How to care for container-grown peppers
Growing peppers in containers is a great way to expand your gardening space. As long as you have an area with 6+ hours of sun, you can grow peppers, even on a balcony in the city. First, make sure to pick good pepper varieties that grow well in containers as they are well-suited to growing in pots. Here are our top tips for the best care for container-grown peppers: Container Size: Select a large pot or container with a 12" + diameter and about 5 gallons in size to allow room for the ro...
Jalapeno Salsa Recipe
A classic, this Jalapeno Salsa Recipe is sure to please all salsa connoisseurs! Jalapeno Salsa Recipe 2-3 cups of chopped Fresh Tomatoes(or a jar or large 28oz can of preserved tomatoes)1 Bunch of fresh Cilantro leaves(use as much as you'd like)1-3+ Jalapenos - any varietyNote: You can also use any fresh or dried hot peppers for this recipe (Santa Fe Grande Peppers, Cayenne Peppers, Habanero Peppers, Thai Hot Peppers, Red Cherry Hot Peppers, Ghost Peppers, you name it!1/2 Onion, Dic...
Vegetable Container Gardening
Vegetable Container Gardening:The best seeds to grow Even if you don't have a lot of space, vegetable container gardening is possible so you can have your own homegrown veggies and herbs. Starting Seeds for Vegetable Container Gardens: You can start many seeds in a sunny window, or get some inexpensive led or flourescent grow lights and start seeds under the lights to get them growing strong for transplanting into their final containers or pots come spring. The cost of starting your cont...
What Seeds to Plant in June - Companion Plants!
Wondering what seeds you should plant in June? June is a great time to plant companion plants with your peppers, tomatoes and other veggies. There is a great range of seeds to choose from that you can plant in June! Cilantro - great for salsas, and the flowers attract lots of beneficial insects and produce more seeds (also known as Coriander) Cherry Belle Radish are super fast growing! Great companion plant to grow alongside peppers or tomatoes. Leaves are edible, too, in addition to ...
Mild Peppers to Grow
There are so many tasty mild peppers to grow for people who don't want a lot of spice or any spice in their food. You can grow completely sweet peppers with 0 Scovilles (no heat), or you can grow mild pepper seeds with just a dash of spice. Check our our List of Peppers by Heat for all the mild peppers we carry at the top of the list - we carry seeds for over 101 peppers of the world, and there are so many unusual, exotic and delicious mild pepper varieties to grow for your kitchen. Check...
Top 5 Peppers to Grow in 2025
Here's our Top 5 Peppers to Grow in 2025 Make 2025 great with some super tasty (and spicy) new peppers that are sure to boost those endorphins and delight your tastebuds: #1 Tasmanian Ghost Pepper A new pepper in our lineup, this fruity pepper has nice flavor until the ferocious bite arrives. The chances of being attacked by a Tasmanian Ghost are very high after you chew it up swallow it down under! The aroma and flavor is fruity up front then forget about it – it's HOT! Great for ...
Types of Habaneros - Listed by Heat!
Types of Habaneros: We think Habaneros are one of the best tasting hot peppers, and we have many varieties of Habaneros that you can grow in your garden! Habaneros are aromatic chile peppers with intense and pungent heat. Their spicy heat and citrusy fresh flavor go well with so many foods, and they make delicious hot sauces and salsas. Habaneros are easy to grow, and do great in pots. How many different types of Habanero peppers are there?There are many varieties of Habaneros, we have listed...
Types of Peppers to Grow
At Sandia Seed we have seeds for over 101 peppers of the world to grow in your garden! There are many types of peppers to grow, ranging from sweet to super hot, so there is a pepper for everyone. What is the Best Pepper to Grow? Golly, it's really hard to choose just one pepper considering the huge range of flavors, heat levels and colors they provide. Sorry, but it's just too hard to narrow down to just one pepper, so here are a few of our top favorites for the best peppers to ...
Growing Tomatoes in Pots
Yes, you can grow tomatoes in pots! But, we do recommend larger pots – half whiskey barrels or pots of that size are best for most regular tomatoes. What type of tomatoes do well in pots? While you can pretty much grow any tomato in a large pot (don't forget to have trellises or obelisks for support), there are also tomato varieties that were bred to be smaller in plant size and do well in pots. You can even grow them with flowers, herbs and/or peppers to have a colorful veggie pot! W...
Different types of Jalapeno Peppers
Jalapeños:There’s not just one kind! We have not just one but TEN different kinds of Jalapeños! Grow any of these jalapeño seeds in your garden for adding to salsas, hot sauces, making jalapeño poppers, pickled jalapenos, and other recipes! Jalapeños are some of the easiest peppers to grow from seed, and many of them are some of the earliest peppers to harvest – so they're great for shorter growing seasons. These productive and pretty plants grow well in large containers, too! Growing d...
Chimayó Chile - Grow your own!
The Chimayó Chile is one of our favorite peppers in the world! They have a unique and different flavor that imparts pure deliciousness to many dishes. Many chefs believe that the Chimayó Chile is the most delicious chile pepper in the American southwest. The Chimayó Chile is known by locals in New Mexico as well as by connoisseurs around the world for being one of the tastiest chile you can get your hands on. In fact, NPR recently did a story on this rare treat, give it a listen to get insp...
Peppers for Pickling
What are the best peppers for pickling? What kind of peppers are used in pickling?Most peppers work great for pickling, but some of our favorites for pickling include Wax Peppers such as Banana Peppers, Hot Hungarian Wax Peppers, Sweet Hungarian Wax Peppers, Cascabellas, Sweet Cherry peppers, Hot Cherry Peppers, Fresno peppers, and of course any Jalapeno makes a great pickled pepper. Pickling peppers is a great way to use up a lot of peppers and preserve the harvest! Here are some of our f...
