How to grow Tomatillos from SeedHow to grow Tomatillos from Seed Tomatillo seeds are surprisingly easy to start from seed! We simply sow the seeds directly into the ground or in large pots and keep them watered and moist until they sprout. They take off quite quickly, and it's good to thin out the extra seedlings. You can start them indoors, but starting them outdoors can be very successful, too, and requires no transplanting. The seedlings do seem to have some cold-hardiness when very young if started outdoors, but if...
Jalapeno - Black Seeds?Recent Customer Question: Can you eat a jalapeno that has black seeds? Answer: Yes, as long as you don't see any mold! If peppers have black seeds inside, there are a few reasons this could happen: 1. Immature Seeds If peppers don't fully mature, sometimes you'll see brown or black seeds inside when cut open - or they may look shriveled. These are seeds that simply didn't fully develop.This doesn't mean they are bad, we usually remove and compost the black shriveled seed...
Hot Sauce RecipesHere are some of our favorite hot sauce recipes to make with your abundant hot pepper harvests! Hot sauce is a great way to preserve your peppers and their spiciness for year-round use, and long after the snow starts flying! Favorite Hot Sauce Recipes:Fermentation Crock Hot Sauce Recipe »Louisiana Hot Sauce Recipe »Roasted Jalapeno Hot Sauce Recipe »Easy Fermented Hot Sauce Recipes »Chocolate, White, Yellow & Red Hot Sauce »No-Salt Hot Sauce Recipe »Orange Habanero & Carrot Hot Sau...
Growing peppers in ContainersGrowing peppers in Containers - Top 9 Tips: 1. Grow peppers that do well in containers and pots!This is one of the most important tips, as some peppers do much better in pots than others. Here are the best peppers to grow in containers » 2. Use large pots, 5 gallons or more is ideal. Larger pots don't dry out as fast, and allow for deep roots. They also don't tend to get top heavy, so they won't blow over in high winds. You can also plant more than one pepper plant in large pots!...
What to do with Hatch Chile after RoastingRecent seed customer question: I am asking for suggestions for what to do with my hatch chilies after I roast them? Well, the possibilities are endless! Roasted Hatch chile can be added to all sorts of recipes. Here are some of our top suggestions on what to do with roasted hatch chile: After roasting, steam them and then deseed and peel the skin off the roasted chile. We like to steam them in a pyrex glass dish with a glass lid to cut down on plastic use. Dice the chile and put them in a ...
2023 Seed CatalogMake sure to check out our colorful 2023 Seed Catalog that is filled with seeds, recipes and more. We are so proud of our Sandia Seed Seed Catalog that is packed with heirloom seeds and organic seeds for peppers of the world, plus tons of tomato seeds and vegetable seeds, too! The new seed catalog also features new pepper recipes to try with your harvest! Order our Seed Catalog today! Our 2023 Seed Packets & Seed Catalogs are ready to ship! Here's a sneak peak at some of our Seed C...
Big Jim Pepper SeedsGrow your own Big Jim Chile! Sandia Seed offers the best selection of New Mexico chile varieties, including the deliciously huge Big Jim Legacy. Big Jim Pepper Seeds are easy to start, and grow into nice sized pepper plants with huge chile pods for roasting and enjoying. Big Jim Legacy is an all-around winner when it comes to green chile. It has incredible New Mexican chile flavor, thick flesh, and mild to medium heat. A favorite for chile rellenos. The 8-10“ pods are very large, making the...
Can you overwinter New Mexico Chile plants?We were recently asked: Is it a 100% no for overwintering NM Chile plants? If so why? We've found that New Mexico chile plants don't produce as well after being overwintered – they will survive if kept from frost, but they are not usually anywhere near as productive as fresh started plants the next year. Some pepper plants are more suited to overwintering and can live and produce for many years, but New Mexico chile plants seem to be best in their first year. The super hot Rattl...
Homegrown Chile Relleno RecipeIf you grow our Hatch Chile or Anaheim Chile varieties, one of the best ways to enjoy them is in the form of a chile relleno! A delicious serving suggestion is to plate your rellenos and then drizzle warm Ranchero Salsa over the top of them (see the recipe below). Rellenos are usually topped with red or green chile sauce, other additions include guacamole, sour cream, or salsa. There's no wrong way to enjoy them! Here's an authentic recipe to make your own Chile Rellenos from scratc...
Homegrown Sriracha Sauce RecipeHomegrown Sriracha Sauce 1.5 pounds Sriracha Peppers, or other red hot peppers such as cayenne, goat horn, fresno, bishop crown, thai hot, or jalapeno peppers ⅓ cup water 6 cloves garlic, peeled 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon kosher salt ½ cup white vinegar Cut off stems of peppers, add to a food processor or blender and add water, garlic, brown sugar, and salt.Pulse, then blend until smooth. Add puree into a large glass jar or pitcher, and keep covered in a cool dark location for 3 ...
Spicy Vegetarian Chili RecipeSPICY VEGETARIAN CHILI RECIPE INGREDIENTS: 6-8 Cups of fresh diced tomatoes (or 1 large (28oz) can of diced tomatoes) 2-4+ diced hot peppers such as Serranos 4 chopped sweet red peppers or bell peppers 2 onions, chopped 6 cloves of garlic, minced 2 cans (15 oz) of kidney beans, drained 2 cans (15 oz) of black beans, drained (or use other beans like pinto beans) 1-2 cups of water (or broth of choice) 1 Cup of Corn, optional 2 tablespoons of chile powder 1 teaspoons of ground cumin Salt &...
How to Grow Green Peppers from SeedsHow to Grow Green Peppers from Seeds 1. Use Fresh SeedsGreen pepper seeds can last up to 25 years in perfect conditions, but using the seeds within 2-5 years will give you the best germination rates. The older the seeds get, the less likely they will sprout. Store seeds in a cool, dark, dry environment – and plant them as soon as you can – the more years that go by, the less seeds will germinate, so you'll want to plant more seeds if they get to be more than 3-5 years old to ensure eno...
What seeds can you plant in July?What seeds can you plant in July? In July, it's not too late to fill your garden with more vegetables! Cherry Belle Radish are super fast growing, ready for harvest in about 22-30 days from sowing, so they are great seeds to plant in July. You can keep sowing these every two weeks throughout July, August and September! Sowing seeds all spring/summer/fall helps produce a continual harvest. We direct sow them in the garden and they germinate in just a few days. These are fun for kids ...
Why do my pepper plants have no peppers?Here's a question from a recent customer:Why do my pepper plants have no peppers? “I have 9 Aji Amarillo plants from seeds bought from Sandia, and as of July 22 in CT, not a single pepper. Started seeds in basement in February, with warming mat and grow lights. Excellent germination, great early grower, planted in outdoor raised planters and individual 5 gal pots in early May, after conditioning. They are now 5 to 6 feet tall, looking healthy, with large leaves! But why, oh why, do I not...
Growing PaprikaHere are some answers to a few common questions about growing Paprika: Can I grow my own paprika? Yes! It's easy to grow your own Paprika peppers to use in recipes. Paprika peppers grow in the same conditions as most peppers and vegetables, they like warm weather, full sun, and well-draining soil that's been amended with compost. Learn more about our top tips for growing peppers from seeds - all of these tips will help you grow productive Paprika plants! What is sweet Paprika? Papri...
How much water does a pepper plant need per day?Pictured: The beautiful NuMex Easter Pepper in a pot. How much water does a pepper plant need? It depends on the conditions of course. But keep in mind, peppers do NOT like soggy soil, so make sure to let it dry out between watering. Do pepper plants need a lot of water? Peppers actually like to dry out a bit between watering. That said, during the longest hottest days of summer, especially in pots, that may be every day. With cooler weather and during the spring and fall you may only ne...
How to grow Tomatillos from Seed
How to grow Tomatillos from Seed Tomatillo seeds are surprisingly easy to start from seed! We simply sow the seeds directly into the ground or in large pots and keep them watered and moist until they sprout. They take off quite quickly, and it's good to thin out the extra seedlings. You can start them indoors, but starting them outdoors can be very successful, too, and requires no transplanting. The seedlings do seem to have some cold-hardiness when very young if started outdoors, but if...
Jalapeno - Black Seeds?
Recent Customer Question: Can you eat a jalapeno that has black seeds? Answer: Yes, as long as you don't see any mold! If peppers have black seeds inside, there are a few reasons this could happen: 1. Immature Seeds If peppers don't fully mature, sometimes you'll see brown or black seeds inside when cut open - or they may look shriveled. These are seeds that simply didn't fully develop.This doesn't mean they are bad, we usually remove and compost the black shriveled seed...
Hot Sauce Recipes
Here are some of our favorite hot sauce recipes to make with your abundant hot pepper harvests! Hot sauce is a great way to preserve your peppers and their spiciness for year-round use, and long after the snow starts flying! Favorite Hot Sauce Recipes:Fermentation Crock Hot Sauce Recipe »Louisiana Hot Sauce Recipe »Roasted Jalapeno Hot Sauce Recipe »Easy Fermented Hot Sauce Recipes »Chocolate, White, Yellow & Red Hot Sauce »No-Salt Hot Sauce Recipe »Orange Habanero & Carrot Hot Sau...
Growing peppers in Containers
Growing peppers in Containers - Top 9 Tips: 1. Grow peppers that do well in containers and pots!This is one of the most important tips, as some peppers do much better in pots than others. Here are the best peppers to grow in containers » 2. Use large pots, 5 gallons or more is ideal. Larger pots don't dry out as fast, and allow for deep roots. They also don't tend to get top heavy, so they won't blow over in high winds. You can also plant more than one pepper plant in large pots!...
What to do with Hatch Chile after Roasting
Recent seed customer question: I am asking for suggestions for what to do with my hatch chilies after I roast them? Well, the possibilities are endless! Roasted Hatch chile can be added to all sorts of recipes. Here are some of our top suggestions on what to do with roasted hatch chile: After roasting, steam them and then deseed and peel the skin off the roasted chile. We like to steam them in a pyrex glass dish with a glass lid to cut down on plastic use. Dice the chile and put them in a ...
2023 Seed Catalog
Make sure to check out our colorful 2023 Seed Catalog that is filled with seeds, recipes and more. We are so proud of our Sandia Seed Seed Catalog that is packed with heirloom seeds and organic seeds for peppers of the world, plus tons of tomato seeds and vegetable seeds, too! The new seed catalog also features new pepper recipes to try with your harvest! Order our Seed Catalog today! Our 2023 Seed Packets & Seed Catalogs are ready to ship! Here's a sneak peak at some of our Seed C...
Big Jim Pepper Seeds
Grow your own Big Jim Chile! Sandia Seed offers the best selection of New Mexico chile varieties, including the deliciously huge Big Jim Legacy. Big Jim Pepper Seeds are easy to start, and grow into nice sized pepper plants with huge chile pods for roasting and enjoying. Big Jim Legacy is an all-around winner when it comes to green chile. It has incredible New Mexican chile flavor, thick flesh, and mild to medium heat. A favorite for chile rellenos. The 8-10“ pods are very large, making the...
Can you overwinter New Mexico Chile plants?
We were recently asked: Is it a 100% no for overwintering NM Chile plants? If so why? We've found that New Mexico chile plants don't produce as well after being overwintered – they will survive if kept from frost, but they are not usually anywhere near as productive as fresh started plants the next year. Some pepper plants are more suited to overwintering and can live and produce for many years, but New Mexico chile plants seem to be best in their first year. The super hot Rattl...
Homegrown Chile Relleno Recipe
If you grow our Hatch Chile or Anaheim Chile varieties, one of the best ways to enjoy them is in the form of a chile relleno! A delicious serving suggestion is to plate your rellenos and then drizzle warm Ranchero Salsa over the top of them (see the recipe below). Rellenos are usually topped with red or green chile sauce, other additions include guacamole, sour cream, or salsa. There's no wrong way to enjoy them! Here's an authentic recipe to make your own Chile Rellenos from scratc...
Homegrown Sriracha Sauce Recipe
Homegrown Sriracha Sauce 1.5 pounds Sriracha Peppers, or other red hot peppers such as cayenne, goat horn, fresno, bishop crown, thai hot, or jalapeno peppers ⅓ cup water 6 cloves garlic, peeled 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon kosher salt ½ cup white vinegar Cut off stems of peppers, add to a food processor or blender and add water, garlic, brown sugar, and salt.Pulse, then blend until smooth. Add puree into a large glass jar or pitcher, and keep covered in a cool dark location for 3 ...
Spicy Vegetarian Chili Recipe
SPICY VEGETARIAN CHILI RECIPE INGREDIENTS: 6-8 Cups of fresh diced tomatoes (or 1 large (28oz) can of diced tomatoes) 2-4+ diced hot peppers such as Serranos 4 chopped sweet red peppers or bell peppers 2 onions, chopped 6 cloves of garlic, minced 2 cans (15 oz) of kidney beans, drained 2 cans (15 oz) of black beans, drained (or use other beans like pinto beans) 1-2 cups of water (or broth of choice) 1 Cup of Corn, optional 2 tablespoons of chile powder 1 teaspoons of ground cumin Salt &...
How to Grow Green Peppers from Seeds
How to Grow Green Peppers from Seeds 1. Use Fresh SeedsGreen pepper seeds can last up to 25 years in perfect conditions, but using the seeds within 2-5 years will give you the best germination rates. The older the seeds get, the less likely they will sprout. Store seeds in a cool, dark, dry environment – and plant them as soon as you can – the more years that go by, the less seeds will germinate, so you'll want to plant more seeds if they get to be more than 3-5 years old to ensure eno...
What seeds can you plant in July?
What seeds can you plant in July? In July, it's not too late to fill your garden with more vegetables! Cherry Belle Radish are super fast growing, ready for harvest in about 22-30 days from sowing, so they are great seeds to plant in July. You can keep sowing these every two weeks throughout July, August and September! Sowing seeds all spring/summer/fall helps produce a continual harvest. We direct sow them in the garden and they germinate in just a few days. These are fun for kids ...
Why do my pepper plants have no peppers?
Here's a question from a recent customer:Why do my pepper plants have no peppers? “I have 9 Aji Amarillo plants from seeds bought from Sandia, and as of July 22 in CT, not a single pepper. Started seeds in basement in February, with warming mat and grow lights. Excellent germination, great early grower, planted in outdoor raised planters and individual 5 gal pots in early May, after conditioning. They are now 5 to 6 feet tall, looking healthy, with large leaves! But why, oh why, do I not...
Growing Paprika
Here are some answers to a few common questions about growing Paprika: Can I grow my own paprika? Yes! It's easy to grow your own Paprika peppers to use in recipes. Paprika peppers grow in the same conditions as most peppers and vegetables, they like warm weather, full sun, and well-draining soil that's been amended with compost. Learn more about our top tips for growing peppers from seeds - all of these tips will help you grow productive Paprika plants! What is sweet Paprika? Papri...
How much water does a pepper plant need per day?
Pictured: The beautiful NuMex Easter Pepper in a pot. How much water does a pepper plant need? It depends on the conditions of course. But keep in mind, peppers do NOT like soggy soil, so make sure to let it dry out between watering. Do pepper plants need a lot of water? Peppers actually like to dry out a bit between watering. That said, during the longest hottest days of summer, especially in pots, that may be every day. With cooler weather and during the spring and fall you may only ne...
