How much should I water my seeds?For seeds to germinate, you need to keep the growing soil damp but not too wet. To conserve moisture, you can cover the container with clear plastic until seeds germinate. Once seeds sprout, do not miss a watering. Unlike established plants, seedlings do not have an extensive root system they will die if soil dries out. At the same time, it is important not to overwater and let seedlings sit in water. Learning how to water seedlings is vital for success. Related Topic: Why are my pepper pla...
Why are we named Sandia Seed?Did you know that we named our small seed company Sandia Seed after the Sandia mountains in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sandía means watermelon in Spanish. The mountains were named for their beautiful pink color at sunset when the sun reflects light off the granite rocks. The Sandias are an iconic part of the Albuquerque skyline and a great place to get outdoors. In the foothills at their base there are amazing hikes, trail running, and it’s our favorite place to mountain bike ride.
Dried Pepper NamesDo you dry out your chile pods for year-round use?Did you know chile have different names depending on if they are fresh or dried? Dried Jalapeños = ChipotleDried Poblanos = AnchoDried Anaheim Chile = Colorado or CaliforniaDried Mirasol = GuajilloDried Serrano = Chile Seco*(or more specifically: balin, chico, tipico and largo)Dried Chilaca = PasillaDried Chile de Arbol = Chile Seco* The names above can vary depending on the region you are from. Some terms are more general: "Chile Seco&...
Why are my pepper plants not growing?Pepper plants growing slow? Wondering why your pepper plants aren't growing? Or why are your pepper plants growing so slow? With peppers, patience is a virtue – so don't give up on your peppers if they are taking their sweet ol' time. Here are our top tips on getting your pepper seeds and plants to grow faster: When starting pepper seeds, keep them warm: For the most successful and fastest germination, pepper seeds need warmth and moisture. We recommend keeping them very warm at...
How to Grow Bunching Onions from SeedIf you like growing vegetables from seed, make sure to plant some easy-to-grow scallions, also known as green onions. These tasty treats are packed with flavor and go with practically everything – chop or cut them with scissors and toss onto salads, sandwiches, soups, burritos, tacos, stir fries and so much more. Scallions are mild in taste, so you won't cry while cutting them. The most intense flavor comes from the white part closer to the stem, but the entire green onion is edible and c...
Favorite Tomato VarietiesOne of our favorite tomato varieties is the Berkeley Tie-Dye Tomato. Surprisingly, this large beefsteak tomato with beautiful metallic green stripes may not only be one of the prettiest tomatoes you can grow, it is also great for short-season gardens! The flesh is pink with yellow streaks and the flavor is outstanding - sweet, rich, dark heirloom tomato flavor. Despite their large size, these tomatoes are ready for harvest in just 65-75 days (compare that to other beefsteaks which usually ran...
Seed Discounts for Valentine's DayDID YOU MISS THIS SALE? VIEW ALL OF OUR SEED DISCOUNTS » Do you know someone who loves peppers? Give your loved ones or yourself the best kind of chocolates – peppers! Get spicy this year. Spicy Valentine's Day Sale: Our sale to get 20% offour selected Chocolate and Red peppersended Sunday, February 18, 2024! FIND LOTS MORE DISCOUNT SEEDS INCLUDING OUR 50% OFF SEEDS
Gardening QuotesGardening Quote:I don't always enjoy working on my garden... oh wait, yes I do. Gardening Quote:”One of the healthiest ways to gamble is with a spade & a package of garden seeds” Gardening Quote:Gardening adds years to your life, and life to your years. Gardening Quote:“There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments”~ Janet Kilburn PhillipsGardening Quote: Sorry I have Plants this WeekendWhen the world wearies & society ceases to satisfy, there is always the ...
Watering PeppersShown above: Yellow Leaves from Overwatering Here are some of our top tips for watering your indoor grown pepper seedlings: Keep your seedings lightly moist, don't overwater seedlings! The yellow leafed pepper seedlings above are yellow from having soggy roots. Make sure to let the soil dry out slightly between watering – keep your soil lightly moist, not wet.Watering Peppers with Room-Temperature Water:Fill up a watering can and let it come to room temperature when watering your seed...
Growing Chile Seeds in JapanWe were excited to get these photos from one of our seed customers, Ryoichi A., in a small village of rural Osaka, Japan. They have been growing our NuMex Heritage Big Jims and other chiles in their beautiful fields. They recently ordered our Aji Limo Lemon Drop Pepper seeds, Serrano Seeds, Poblano Seeds, Red Cherry Hot Seeds, Carolina Reaper Seeds (the hottest pepper in the world!), Tabasco Seeds, NuMex Trick or Treat Habanero seeds (no heat), White Bhut Jolokia seeds, Peach Bhut Jolokia se...
Jalapeño SeedsSandia Seed has LOTS of different kinds of Jalapeno Seeds!Jalapeños are one of our favorite peppers to grow in the garden for lots of reasons: They're super tasty! Jalapeños are great for salsas Jalapeños make delicious poppers when stuffed with cheese and grilled Jalapeños are one of the first hot peppers to harvest each season, with some of our Jalapeño varieties ready from seed to harvest in just 65 days Jalapeños can be picked anytime, whether they are green or when they'...
Best Mulch for Tomatoes and PeppersThere are lots of options for the Best Mulch for Tomatoes and Peppers, you can use fine wood mulch, compost, grass clippings, paper mulch, fabric, straw, leaves or newspaper. We think the best mulches are grass clippings or good compost as they help feed the soil. Mulching can prevent a lot of problems in the garden. IMPORTANT NOTE: WHATEVER MULCH YOU USE, MAKE SURE NOT TO PILE MULCH UP AGAINST THE STEMS OF YOUR VEGGIES, OR YOU'LL SMOTHER AND ROT THEIR BASE! Above is a pepper growing in a...
Hardening Off SeedlingsOther than overwatering, one of the most common mistakes new and experienced gardeners alike make when growing vegetables from seed is to not harden off the seedlings before transplanting outdoors. Don't skip this step! Have you ever planted your precious tomato or pepper seedlings and a few hours later notice that they are all wilted or the leaves get scalded or turn white? This is often from transplant shock and sunscald. If you do not expose your seedlings grown indoors to the sun a...
Best Vegetables to Grow in ColoradoWe think that some of the best vegetables to grow in Colorado are Chile peppers and Tomatoes. We of course love growing all other vegetables as well including zucchini, squash, pumpkins, herbs, eggplant, and cucumbers of course, for making spicy pickles with the hot peppers! But tomatoes and peppers are hard to top. Any Colorado vegetable garden is likely to include several varieties of peppers and tomatoes, they bring such a wide variety of flavors and colors to the garden.Just think about...
Hottest New Mexico Chile SeedsThe hottest green chile seeds available are sold here at Sandia Seed Company. They are ranked by taste tests of the foods we prepare every year with them, and not their official Scoville heat units. #1 Hottest New Mexico Green Chile is the Rattlesnake Chile.The super hot Rattlesnake Green Chile is reported to reach up to 18,000 Scoville Heat Rating! However, often it is much lower near the 10,000 SHU rating, so while it can be our hottest, it's not always as hot as 18,000 SHU. To get it...
Mild Green Chile SeedsWe sell eight different mild green chile varieties to grow in your garden. The first 3 choices Anaheim, Hatch Green Mild NM 6-4, and NuMex Heritage 6-4 are truly the mildest of all green chiles. We suggest trying some of the other great varieties that are listed here. They are delicious and can be mild or move slightly up to the medium heat level. These chiles are great for "taming" down the spiciness of hotter chiles while adding tons of flavor. All our green chile varieties are Op...
Chili SeedsSandia Seed has the best chili seeds from around the world! We specialize in New Mexico Hatch Chile seed varieties including Green Chile seeds and Red Chile seeds. If you haven't had New Mexican green chile, you're missing out! While technically you have to grow these green chiles in the Hatch region of New Mexico to call them "Hatch chiles," we still think they taste amazing wherever they are grown, from California to Florida to Japan and beyond! Check out these farmers growi...
Hatch Chile Seeds - Grow your own!Grow your own Hatch Chiles from seed!Hatch Chiles are known worldwide for their incredible flavor. They are called Hatch because they are grown in the Hatch Valley area in southwestern New Mexico. All our Hatch chile seeds are grown in this area, and all our New Mexican pod-type chile seeds are grown in the state of New Mexico. If you have ever lived in New Mexico or tasted Hatch green chile then you know you can’t live without it! Well maybe you’ll live, but wouldn’t it be great to have them...
Chocolate, White, Yellow and Red Hot Sauce RecipeHot Sauce Recipe: Cut peppers in half (use about 30 super hot peppers)1 1/2 Cups White vinegar1/2 tsp. Salt1 tsp. Minced Garlic Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Transfer ingredients to a blender and blend. Will make roughly two 8oz jars. Enjoy! Store in the fridge. Try this with Chocolate Habaneros, White Habaneros, any of of our Yellow Super Hots, or any other hot peppers like Jalapenos, Ghost Chiles, etc.
Rare Pepper SeedsSandia Seed carries a lot of rare pepper seeds from around the world, we love spreading the love of chile peppers to gardeners everywhere. In fact, that is why we started this business. Below are some of our Rare Pepper Seeds that can be hard to find: (Click on the images below to read more about each variety of our rare pepper seeds) Biquinho Pepper Seeds The Biquinho is a rare pepper is crunchy and juicy with a mix of tropical flavors that are described as citrus and fruity with ...
How much should I water my seeds?
For seeds to germinate, you need to keep the growing soil damp but not too wet. To conserve moisture, you can cover the container with clear plastic until seeds germinate. Once seeds sprout, do not miss a watering. Unlike established plants, seedlings do not have an extensive root system they will die if soil dries out. At the same time, it is important not to overwater and let seedlings sit in water. Learning how to water seedlings is vital for success. Related Topic: Why are my pepper pla...
Why are we named Sandia Seed?
Did you know that we named our small seed company Sandia Seed after the Sandia mountains in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sandía means watermelon in Spanish. The mountains were named for their beautiful pink color at sunset when the sun reflects light off the granite rocks. The Sandias are an iconic part of the Albuquerque skyline and a great place to get outdoors. In the foothills at their base there are amazing hikes, trail running, and it’s our favorite place to mountain bike ride.
Dried Pepper Names
Do you dry out your chile pods for year-round use?Did you know chile have different names depending on if they are fresh or dried? Dried Jalapeños = ChipotleDried Poblanos = AnchoDried Anaheim Chile = Colorado or CaliforniaDried Mirasol = GuajilloDried Serrano = Chile Seco*(or more specifically: balin, chico, tipico and largo)Dried Chilaca = PasillaDried Chile de Arbol = Chile Seco* The names above can vary depending on the region you are from. Some terms are more general: "Chile Seco&...
Why are my pepper plants not growing?
Pepper plants growing slow? Wondering why your pepper plants aren't growing? Or why are your pepper plants growing so slow? With peppers, patience is a virtue – so don't give up on your peppers if they are taking their sweet ol' time. Here are our top tips on getting your pepper seeds and plants to grow faster: When starting pepper seeds, keep them warm: For the most successful and fastest germination, pepper seeds need warmth and moisture. We recommend keeping them very warm at...
How to Grow Bunching Onions from Seed
If you like growing vegetables from seed, make sure to plant some easy-to-grow scallions, also known as green onions. These tasty treats are packed with flavor and go with practically everything – chop or cut them with scissors and toss onto salads, sandwiches, soups, burritos, tacos, stir fries and so much more. Scallions are mild in taste, so you won't cry while cutting them. The most intense flavor comes from the white part closer to the stem, but the entire green onion is edible and c...
Favorite Tomato Varieties
One of our favorite tomato varieties is the Berkeley Tie-Dye Tomato. Surprisingly, this large beefsteak tomato with beautiful metallic green stripes may not only be one of the prettiest tomatoes you can grow, it is also great for short-season gardens! The flesh is pink with yellow streaks and the flavor is outstanding - sweet, rich, dark heirloom tomato flavor. Despite their large size, these tomatoes are ready for harvest in just 65-75 days (compare that to other beefsteaks which usually ran...
Seed Discounts for Valentine's Day
DID YOU MISS THIS SALE? VIEW ALL OF OUR SEED DISCOUNTS » Do you know someone who loves peppers? Give your loved ones or yourself the best kind of chocolates – peppers! Get spicy this year. Spicy Valentine's Day Sale: Our sale to get 20% offour selected Chocolate and Red peppersended Sunday, February 18, 2024! FIND LOTS MORE DISCOUNT SEEDS INCLUDING OUR 50% OFF SEEDS
Gardening Quotes
Gardening Quote:I don't always enjoy working on my garden... oh wait, yes I do. Gardening Quote:”One of the healthiest ways to gamble is with a spade & a package of garden seeds” Gardening Quote:Gardening adds years to your life, and life to your years. Gardening Quote:“There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments”~ Janet Kilburn PhillipsGardening Quote: Sorry I have Plants this WeekendWhen the world wearies & society ceases to satisfy, there is always the ...
Watering Peppers
Shown above: Yellow Leaves from Overwatering Here are some of our top tips for watering your indoor grown pepper seedlings: Keep your seedings lightly moist, don't overwater seedlings! The yellow leafed pepper seedlings above are yellow from having soggy roots. Make sure to let the soil dry out slightly between watering – keep your soil lightly moist, not wet.Watering Peppers with Room-Temperature Water:Fill up a watering can and let it come to room temperature when watering your seed...
Growing Chile Seeds in Japan
We were excited to get these photos from one of our seed customers, Ryoichi A., in a small village of rural Osaka, Japan. They have been growing our NuMex Heritage Big Jims and other chiles in their beautiful fields. They recently ordered our Aji Limo Lemon Drop Pepper seeds, Serrano Seeds, Poblano Seeds, Red Cherry Hot Seeds, Carolina Reaper Seeds (the hottest pepper in the world!), Tabasco Seeds, NuMex Trick or Treat Habanero seeds (no heat), White Bhut Jolokia seeds, Peach Bhut Jolokia se...
Jalapeño Seeds
Sandia Seed has LOTS of different kinds of Jalapeno Seeds!Jalapeños are one of our favorite peppers to grow in the garden for lots of reasons: They're super tasty! Jalapeños are great for salsas Jalapeños make delicious poppers when stuffed with cheese and grilled Jalapeños are one of the first hot peppers to harvest each season, with some of our Jalapeño varieties ready from seed to harvest in just 65 days Jalapeños can be picked anytime, whether they are green or when they'...
Best Mulch for Tomatoes and Peppers
There are lots of options for the Best Mulch for Tomatoes and Peppers, you can use fine wood mulch, compost, grass clippings, paper mulch, fabric, straw, leaves or newspaper. We think the best mulches are grass clippings or good compost as they help feed the soil. Mulching can prevent a lot of problems in the garden. IMPORTANT NOTE: WHATEVER MULCH YOU USE, MAKE SURE NOT TO PILE MULCH UP AGAINST THE STEMS OF YOUR VEGGIES, OR YOU'LL SMOTHER AND ROT THEIR BASE! Above is a pepper growing in a...
Hardening Off Seedlings
Other than overwatering, one of the most common mistakes new and experienced gardeners alike make when growing vegetables from seed is to not harden off the seedlings before transplanting outdoors. Don't skip this step! Have you ever planted your precious tomato or pepper seedlings and a few hours later notice that they are all wilted or the leaves get scalded or turn white? This is often from transplant shock and sunscald. If you do not expose your seedlings grown indoors to the sun a...
Best Vegetables to Grow in Colorado
We think that some of the best vegetables to grow in Colorado are Chile peppers and Tomatoes. We of course love growing all other vegetables as well including zucchini, squash, pumpkins, herbs, eggplant, and cucumbers of course, for making spicy pickles with the hot peppers! But tomatoes and peppers are hard to top. Any Colorado vegetable garden is likely to include several varieties of peppers and tomatoes, they bring such a wide variety of flavors and colors to the garden.Just think about...
Hottest New Mexico Chile Seeds
The hottest green chile seeds available are sold here at Sandia Seed Company. They are ranked by taste tests of the foods we prepare every year with them, and not their official Scoville heat units. #1 Hottest New Mexico Green Chile is the Rattlesnake Chile.The super hot Rattlesnake Green Chile is reported to reach up to 18,000 Scoville Heat Rating! However, often it is much lower near the 10,000 SHU rating, so while it can be our hottest, it's not always as hot as 18,000 SHU. To get it...
Mild Green Chile Seeds
We sell eight different mild green chile varieties to grow in your garden. The first 3 choices Anaheim, Hatch Green Mild NM 6-4, and NuMex Heritage 6-4 are truly the mildest of all green chiles. We suggest trying some of the other great varieties that are listed here. They are delicious and can be mild or move slightly up to the medium heat level. These chiles are great for "taming" down the spiciness of hotter chiles while adding tons of flavor. All our green chile varieties are Op...
Chili Seeds
Sandia Seed has the best chili seeds from around the world! We specialize in New Mexico Hatch Chile seed varieties including Green Chile seeds and Red Chile seeds. If you haven't had New Mexican green chile, you're missing out! While technically you have to grow these green chiles in the Hatch region of New Mexico to call them "Hatch chiles," we still think they taste amazing wherever they are grown, from California to Florida to Japan and beyond! Check out these farmers growi...
Hatch Chile Seeds - Grow your own!
Grow your own Hatch Chiles from seed!Hatch Chiles are known worldwide for their incredible flavor. They are called Hatch because they are grown in the Hatch Valley area in southwestern New Mexico. All our Hatch chile seeds are grown in this area, and all our New Mexican pod-type chile seeds are grown in the state of New Mexico. If you have ever lived in New Mexico or tasted Hatch green chile then you know you can’t live without it! Well maybe you’ll live, but wouldn’t it be great to have them...
Chocolate, White, Yellow and Red Hot Sauce Recipe
Hot Sauce Recipe: Cut peppers in half (use about 30 super hot peppers)1 1/2 Cups White vinegar1/2 tsp. Salt1 tsp. Minced Garlic Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Transfer ingredients to a blender and blend. Will make roughly two 8oz jars. Enjoy! Store in the fridge. Try this with Chocolate Habaneros, White Habaneros, any of of our Yellow Super Hots, or any other hot peppers like Jalapenos, Ghost Chiles, etc.
Rare Pepper Seeds
Sandia Seed carries a lot of rare pepper seeds from around the world, we love spreading the love of chile peppers to gardeners everywhere. In fact, that is why we started this business. Below are some of our Rare Pepper Seeds that can be hard to find: (Click on the images below to read more about each variety of our rare pepper seeds) Biquinho Pepper Seeds The Biquinho is a rare pepper is crunchy and juicy with a mix of tropical flavors that are described as citrus and fruity with ...
