I have flowers on my pepper but no peppers!Do your pepper plants have flowers but no peppers? This could be for a variety of reasons: Hot or Cold Weather: Temperatures – Peppers can be fussy when it comes to temperatures, they don't like it too cold or too hot! Peppers fruit best during daily temperatures between 70-80 °F. (Peppers don't like temperatures below 60˚ F and won't likely produce much if too cold – except for these special cool-weather loving peppers). If it's getting into the 90˚ F temperatures, your pep...
Chiltepin PepperHave you grown “mother of all peppers,” the Chiltepin? These ancient tiny hot Chiltepin peppers do love heat, but they thrive best in the partial shade of a tree or bush. Their environment in the wild is often under other plants, where they get some shade. When growing in the wild, these peppers are most often found growing under plants like mesquite or hackberry, preferring a shaded area in the low desert. The Chiltepin, also known as Tepin peppers, grow abundantly on 36” tall plants. ...
Pepper Plant has Flowers but No PeppersWhen a pepper plant has flowers but no peppers it is because of a lack of fertilization or extreme temperatures. For lack of pollination, there is an easy solution to help the pepper plant make fruit. First a little science background: Pepper plants are self-pollinating. A pepper flower already has both parts needed for fertilization, the pollen and the ovules. When the pollen gets to the ovules that is fertilization and the pepper plant will begin producing fruit. Sometimes peppers have fl...
Fast Growing SeedsLooking for vegetable seeds that grow fast? It's never too late to start seeds! Whether it's because you're late in planting seeds, or if you are sowing seeds throughout the season and want to tuck more vegetables into your garden, here are our top fast growing seeds: Fastest growing Vegetables: Cherry Belle Radish is one of the earliest radishes to mature in spring - you can harvest these beauties in just 22-30 days from sowing! We direct sow them in the garden and they germ...
How to germinate pepper seeds fastLearn how to germinate pepper seeds fast! If you want to learn how to make peppers grow faster – it's good to start them indoors early, and keep them nice and warm between 80-90˚ F to sprout quickly. It's also wise to transplant them into larger containers if you have the room to let them grow deep root systems before transplanting into the garden (after all chance of frost has passed.) Most peppers also like the temperatures to be above 60˚ F – even at night, so hold off on planting...
Hatch Chile Guacamole RecipeHatch Chile Guacamole Recipe 2-3 Avocados 1/2 Cup Roasted Hatch Chile, diced1/2 Lime, juiced Cilantro (to taste), chopped (optional*) 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced1/4 cup Tomatoes, Chopped1 fresh Jalapeno, diced (optional for heat and crunch)Salt & Pepper Mash avocado, add lime juice, cilantro, Hatch chile, jalapeno, garlic, salt and pepper, mix lightly. Serve with chips, on tacos, burritos, sandwiches, tostadas... you name it! *Cilantro is optional for those of you who detest it. We ...
Winter Sowing PeppersWinter Sowing Peppers Note: Peppers are very sensitive to frost. You can use Winter Sowing with Pepper Seeds, but it is important to wait until warmer weather has arrived closer to the last chance of frost. Peppers generally will not thrive in their Winter Sowing jugs when the temperatures drop below 40˚ F, especially overnight! If you start frost-sensitive peppers using this Winter Sowing method, start them closer to spring – and make sure to keep the plants covered in their jugs, howev...
Hatch Chile & Basil Pesto RecipeSpicy Hatch Chile & Basil Pesto Recipe: Roasted Hatch Chile (peeled, deseeded)Basil (you could also use Cilantro)1-2 Tablespoons of Olive OilLots of Garlic ClovesWalnutsSalt & Pepper to tasteSqueeze of lemon or limeBlend all ingredients together in a food processor. We use whatever we have on hand, you can make a big batch or a small batch, and vary up the ingredient proportions - every batch is unique to what we have to work with. You can also substitute out the walnuts for pine nuts...
Best Habanero SeedsDo you love habaneros? If you haven't tried them, and you like hot peppers, you should grow habaneros!We think habaneros are one of the tastiest of all peppers – they have a great fruity flavor, aroma and lots of heat! Habaneros make some of the most flavorful hot sauces, and they are awesome in salsas. Easy to grow, Habanero seeds can be started indoors to get the plants growing strong before transplanting outside once the weather warms up and all chance of frost has passed. We have s...
Grow the Yellow Carolina Reaper!Yellow Carolina Reaper SeedsCustomer testimonials: We have grown Yellow Carolina Reaper alongside the traditional Red Carolina Reaper for a few years now and it is a customer favorite. The germination is always near perfect and it produces beautiful peppers on nice strong plants! I grew 3 Yellow Carolina Reaper plants from seed. I ordered from Sandia Seed Co. and they grew to be very large, robust plants and were absolutely loaded with peppers. These peppers are insanely hot, but have wond...
How to use Dried PeppersUsing dried peppers for recipes is a great way to add flavor and spice all year round with your harvest! If you dry your homegrown pepper harvest, you can use a food processor, coffee grinder, or spice grinder to chop up your dried peppers. We also like to use a pair of kitchen shears or scissors to "cut" up the peppers into foods, as shown above. This is an easy way to add just a few hot peppers to any dish. T Keeping your dried peppers whole and storing them in a cool dark dry place...
Short Season Heirloom TomatoesLooking to grow Short Season Heirloom Tomatoes this season? If you are looking to grow early tomato varieties, you've come to the right place. If you are in a short season climate, or, if you just want to enjoy juicy homegrown heirloom tomatoes from your garden, any of these varieties would be a great pick! Best Short Season Tomatoes: Heirloom Pineapple Tomato These plants will fruit fairly early, and also ripen quickly. In mid-summer, they seemed to stop blooming, then they put on ano...
Winter SowingWinter Sowing We just learned about Winter Sowing a couple years ago, it's a wonderful way to start seeds using recycled containers outside! With winter sowing, you don't need room inside to start seeds, you can start them outdoors in the winter/spring months with recycled jugs and other containers. These containers serve as miniature greenhouses that do an incredible job of germinating all sorts of seeds including vegetables, herbs, and native plants. Winter Sowing Seeds in...
Cabbage Salsa / Mexican Coleslaw RecipeIf you haven't had cabbage salsa before, you're missing out! This crunchy, spicy, tangy salsa is a real treat – eat it with tortilla chips, or serve as a delicious side or topping for tacos. Cabbage Salsa / Mexican Coleslaw Recipe Ingredients 4 cups chopped or shredded cabbage (we use a whole cabbage head and make a big batch!) 2+ cups diced tomatoes 1 diced red onion (you can also use green onions) 2-3 hot peppers of your choice (jalapenos, serranos, or fruity hot peppers lik...
Grow Peppers in PotsDid you know you can grow peppers in pots? Many pepper varieties do great in pots! Check our list of Best Peppers to Grow in Pots Add more peppers to your garden this year! Growing peppers in pots is a great way to expand your garden, you can place pots on patios, decks, or balconies to increase your harvest each season. Fire and Ice Peppers are perfect for pots! They really do look like flames as they change in color from pale yellow to orange to bright red. They make a great show, plus ...
Cool Weather VegetablesThere are a lot of cool weather vegetables that are great for winter growing as well as for early spring! Sandia Seed has a good selection of cool season vegetables that are great for growing in the cold months, especially early spring! When to plant cool weather crops:Cool-season vegetables can be planted anytime from several weeks to a couple of months before the last frost date. These early vegetables prefer cooler temperatures for growing. Some people start seeds indoors to get them ...
I have flowers on my pepper but no peppers!
Do your pepper plants have flowers but no peppers? This could be for a variety of reasons: Hot or Cold Weather: Temperatures – Peppers can be fussy when it comes to temperatures, they don't like it too cold or too hot! Peppers fruit best during daily temperatures between 70-80 °F. (Peppers don't like temperatures below 60˚ F and won't likely produce much if too cold – except for these special cool-weather loving peppers). If it's getting into the 90˚ F temperatures, your pep...
Chiltepin Pepper
Have you grown “mother of all peppers,” the Chiltepin? These ancient tiny hot Chiltepin peppers do love heat, but they thrive best in the partial shade of a tree or bush. Their environment in the wild is often under other plants, where they get some shade. When growing in the wild, these peppers are most often found growing under plants like mesquite or hackberry, preferring a shaded area in the low desert. The Chiltepin, also known as Tepin peppers, grow abundantly on 36” tall plants. ...
Pepper Plant has Flowers but No Peppers
When a pepper plant has flowers but no peppers it is because of a lack of fertilization or extreme temperatures. For lack of pollination, there is an easy solution to help the pepper plant make fruit. First a little science background: Pepper plants are self-pollinating. A pepper flower already has both parts needed for fertilization, the pollen and the ovules. When the pollen gets to the ovules that is fertilization and the pepper plant will begin producing fruit. Sometimes peppers have fl...
Fast Growing Seeds
Looking for vegetable seeds that grow fast? It's never too late to start seeds! Whether it's because you're late in planting seeds, or if you are sowing seeds throughout the season and want to tuck more vegetables into your garden, here are our top fast growing seeds: Fastest growing Vegetables: Cherry Belle Radish is one of the earliest radishes to mature in spring - you can harvest these beauties in just 22-30 days from sowing! We direct sow them in the garden and they germ...
How to germinate pepper seeds fast
Learn how to germinate pepper seeds fast! If you want to learn how to make peppers grow faster – it's good to start them indoors early, and keep them nice and warm between 80-90˚ F to sprout quickly. It's also wise to transplant them into larger containers if you have the room to let them grow deep root systems before transplanting into the garden (after all chance of frost has passed.) Most peppers also like the temperatures to be above 60˚ F – even at night, so hold off on planting...
Hatch Chile Guacamole Recipe
Hatch Chile Guacamole Recipe 2-3 Avocados 1/2 Cup Roasted Hatch Chile, diced1/2 Lime, juiced Cilantro (to taste), chopped (optional*) 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced1/4 cup Tomatoes, Chopped1 fresh Jalapeno, diced (optional for heat and crunch)Salt & Pepper Mash avocado, add lime juice, cilantro, Hatch chile, jalapeno, garlic, salt and pepper, mix lightly. Serve with chips, on tacos, burritos, sandwiches, tostadas... you name it! *Cilantro is optional for those of you who detest it. We ...
Winter Sowing Peppers
Winter Sowing Peppers Note: Peppers are very sensitive to frost. You can use Winter Sowing with Pepper Seeds, but it is important to wait until warmer weather has arrived closer to the last chance of frost. Peppers generally will not thrive in their Winter Sowing jugs when the temperatures drop below 40˚ F, especially overnight! If you start frost-sensitive peppers using this Winter Sowing method, start them closer to spring – and make sure to keep the plants covered in their jugs, howev...
Hatch Chile & Basil Pesto Recipe
Spicy Hatch Chile & Basil Pesto Recipe: Roasted Hatch Chile (peeled, deseeded)Basil (you could also use Cilantro)1-2 Tablespoons of Olive OilLots of Garlic ClovesWalnutsSalt & Pepper to tasteSqueeze of lemon or limeBlend all ingredients together in a food processor. We use whatever we have on hand, you can make a big batch or a small batch, and vary up the ingredient proportions - every batch is unique to what we have to work with. You can also substitute out the walnuts for pine nuts...
Best Habanero Seeds
Do you love habaneros? If you haven't tried them, and you like hot peppers, you should grow habaneros!We think habaneros are one of the tastiest of all peppers – they have a great fruity flavor, aroma and lots of heat! Habaneros make some of the most flavorful hot sauces, and they are awesome in salsas. Easy to grow, Habanero seeds can be started indoors to get the plants growing strong before transplanting outside once the weather warms up and all chance of frost has passed. We have s...
Grow the Yellow Carolina Reaper!
Yellow Carolina Reaper SeedsCustomer testimonials: We have grown Yellow Carolina Reaper alongside the traditional Red Carolina Reaper for a few years now and it is a customer favorite. The germination is always near perfect and it produces beautiful peppers on nice strong plants! I grew 3 Yellow Carolina Reaper plants from seed. I ordered from Sandia Seed Co. and they grew to be very large, robust plants and were absolutely loaded with peppers. These peppers are insanely hot, but have wond...
How to use Dried Peppers
Using dried peppers for recipes is a great way to add flavor and spice all year round with your harvest! If you dry your homegrown pepper harvest, you can use a food processor, coffee grinder, or spice grinder to chop up your dried peppers. We also like to use a pair of kitchen shears or scissors to "cut" up the peppers into foods, as shown above. This is an easy way to add just a few hot peppers to any dish. T Keeping your dried peppers whole and storing them in a cool dark dry place...
Short Season Heirloom Tomatoes
Looking to grow Short Season Heirloom Tomatoes this season? If you are looking to grow early tomato varieties, you've come to the right place. If you are in a short season climate, or, if you just want to enjoy juicy homegrown heirloom tomatoes from your garden, any of these varieties would be a great pick! Best Short Season Tomatoes: Heirloom Pineapple Tomato These plants will fruit fairly early, and also ripen quickly. In mid-summer, they seemed to stop blooming, then they put on ano...
Winter Sowing
Winter Sowing We just learned about Winter Sowing a couple years ago, it's a wonderful way to start seeds using recycled containers outside! With winter sowing, you don't need room inside to start seeds, you can start them outdoors in the winter/spring months with recycled jugs and other containers. These containers serve as miniature greenhouses that do an incredible job of germinating all sorts of seeds including vegetables, herbs, and native plants. Winter Sowing Seeds in...
Cabbage Salsa / Mexican Coleslaw Recipe
If you haven't had cabbage salsa before, you're missing out! This crunchy, spicy, tangy salsa is a real treat – eat it with tortilla chips, or serve as a delicious side or topping for tacos. Cabbage Salsa / Mexican Coleslaw Recipe Ingredients 4 cups chopped or shredded cabbage (we use a whole cabbage head and make a big batch!) 2+ cups diced tomatoes 1 diced red onion (you can also use green onions) 2-3 hot peppers of your choice (jalapenos, serranos, or fruity hot peppers lik...
Grow Peppers in Pots
Did you know you can grow peppers in pots? Many pepper varieties do great in pots! Check our list of Best Peppers to Grow in Pots Add more peppers to your garden this year! Growing peppers in pots is a great way to expand your garden, you can place pots on patios, decks, or balconies to increase your harvest each season. Fire and Ice Peppers are perfect for pots! They really do look like flames as they change in color from pale yellow to orange to bright red. They make a great show, plus ...
Cool Weather Vegetables
There are a lot of cool weather vegetables that are great for winter growing as well as for early spring! Sandia Seed has a good selection of cool season vegetables that are great for growing in the cold months, especially early spring! When to plant cool weather crops:Cool-season vegetables can be planted anytime from several weeks to a couple of months before the last frost date. These early vegetables prefer cooler temperatures for growing. Some people start seeds indoors to get them ...
