Pepper Flower DropAre your pepper plants dropping blossoms and not producing peppers? Pepper flower drop is typically a stress response to extreme temperatures or other issues, and it's not uncommon. The most common causes include extreme temperatures (daytime above 85°F–95°F or nighttime below 50°F–60°F), irregular watering, nutrient imbalances (like excess nitrogen), poor pollination, and natural shedding because the plant produces more flowers than it can support. Natural shedding of pepper flowers: yo...
Big Jim Chiles Seed Review with Photo"First harvest, today, of Big Jims from three of my home garden plants grown from your seed. I’m sure the taste isn’t as good as if they were Hatch-grown but I’ve already roasted a few from these plants and they are damn close. I transplanted the seedlings on April 9, 2026 in Cornelius, NC and looking forward to many more harvests to come as they are loaded with new fruit and blossoms. Thanks so much for the high quality seed!" ~ James from NC Thanks James, for sharing your photo an...
25% OFF SEEDS TO GROW MORE FOODThis sale has ended. Want more deals on seeds? Get 10% off any of our seeds + more deals when you Subscribe » Check out our rotating selection of 50% Off Seeds » Check out our Discounted Seed Bundles » FILL IN THE GAPS & GROW MORE FOOD!GET 25% OFF on seeds in our “Grow more food” collection!Use discount code: GROWMOREFOODOffer expired July 15, 2026.It is not too late to sow more veggie seeds in your garden in July! You can fill in gaps in the garden where you may have already harvest...
Seed ViabilitySandia Seed Company is proud to offer excellent seed viability for all of our seed packets! We test and ensure all of our high-quality seeds have germination rates above 85%. We only sell the freshest seeds from the prior season and stand behind our packets with a Seed Germination Guarantee. We also guarantee that our seeds grow true to type! No mystery peppers here! We are also proud to have signed and fully support the Seed Integrity Pledge. As signers, we pledge that we do not knowingly b...
From Seed to Table: Why Growing Your Own Food Matters More Than EverGrowing Your Own Food Matters More Than Ever!There are a lot of benefits to growing your own vegetables and fruit at home. Here are just a few reasons why growing your own food: Water Conservation: Vegetable (and fruit) gardens actually use less water than traditional bluegrass lawns, often saving 50–75% of water use — especially if using drip irrigation and mulch. If you live in a dry and drought-prone region, removing grass and adding vegetable gardens can help cut down on water use and exp...
20% OFF ALL OF OUR FASTEST GROWING VEGETABLE SEEDS!SORRY, THIS SALE HAS ENDED! Signup for our newsletter to get our future deals!20% OFF ALL OF OUR FASTEST GROWING VEGETABLE SEEDS! Use discount code: FASTERHARVEST to save big on all of our Fastest Growing Vegetable Seeds Collection!Now through Sunday, May 24, 2026!This collection has all of our fastest growing peppers, tomatoes plus lots of companion vegetables that make great companions for your peppers.Lettuce, chives, carrots, radishes, beans, cilantro, squash, basil, parsley, dill, orega...
Conserve Nutrients & Moisture in your Vegetable Pots with MulchConserve Nutrients & Moisture in your Vegetable Pots with Mulch Shown above, a new pepper plant has been transplanted into a large pot that has some lettuce growing in it currently. This pot was mulched with grass clippings to conserve moisture (which is important in our dry Western climate) and feed the soil life. Conserve Nutrients in your Veggie Pots:Adding mulch to your veggie pots can help them hold onto nutrients. Growing veggies in pots is a great way to expand your growing spac...
WIN FREE SEEDS: in our Pepper Progress Photo ContestANNOUNCING THE WINNERS! Thanks to everyone who posted photos! We love seeing your pepper seedlings and plants in the garden!These three winners are receiving a $20 gift card:Jessica R.Tricia L. T.YOrganics Homestead Stay tuned for more contests by subscribing to our newsletter »Original contest (now over): Share your pepper progress pics for a chance to WIN A $20 GIFT CARD! Post a photo featuring your pepper seeds, seedlings, or plants in the garden!1. Post a photo on Instagram and tag wi...
Best Hot Sauces: Our Top Picks for Heat and FlavorWe are starting this post to talk about our favorite hot sauces! As spice-addicted chileheads, we love both homemade hot sauce recipes and commercial hot sauces – and we have a whole fridge shelf full of them and the selection is ever-changing. What are your favorite hot sauces? Best Hot Sauces: Our Top Picks for Heat and Flavor Marie Sharp's is one of the best hot sauce companies out there, we haven't met one of their hot sauces that we didn't like. Based in Belize, Marie Sharp ...
20% OFF OUR FASTEST GROWING TOMATO SEEDS20% OFF OUR FASTEST GROWING TOMATO SEEDS SORRY, THIS SALE HAS ENDED! Signup for our newsletter to get our future deals!Use discount code: FASTERTOMATOES to save big on all of our Short Season Tomato Seeds CollectionNow through Sunday, May 17, 2026. Some of our favorite short season tomatoes include Sun Gold, a very sweet cherry tomato; Super Sweet 100, another productive and flavorful cherry type; Black Prince, which is valued for its rich, heirloom taste; New Yorker, a reliable early slic...
HUGE OVERSTOCK SEED SALE50% OFF SELECT OVERSTOCK SEEDS! NO DISCOUNT CODE NEEDED. While supplies last! Buy Discount Seeds » Our super-productive and fast growing Cascabella seeds are currently half off! Great for pickling, they make spicy treats for snacks or alongside (or on) a sandwich. Some of our overstock seeds like our Carrot seeds make for great companion plants for your peppers and tomatoes both in the garden and in the kitchen. Try our Habanero & Carrot Hot Sauce Recipe »
Seed Discounts: 20% off our Fastest Growing Peppers!SORRY, THIS SALE HAS ENDED!Signup for our newsletter to get our future deals! 20% OFF OUR FASTEST GROWING PEPPER SEEDS Use discount code: FASTERPEPPERS to save big on all of our Fastest Growing Pepper Seeds CollectionNow through Sunday, May 10, 2026. (EXPIRED) The secret to harvesting peppers faster is to grow the fastest growing varieties including: Chocolate Bell, Early Jalapeño, Lemon Spice Jalapeño, Serrano Tampiqueño, Shishito, Hatch Big Jim, 6-4 Mild Hatch Green Chile, Banana Peppers an...
Garlic Chives - eat the Seedheads!Did you know? Garlic chives have edible flowers and seed heads! In addition to eating the greens and roots, don't overlook the beautifully garlic flavored blooms and seed heads. The white blooms and young green seed pods have a light garlic taste and work well in salads, stir-fries, or as a garnish. For the best flavor and texture, harvest them while they’re still green—before they dry out, turn brown, and become tough.You can also pickle these in brine like capers!This is also a way to ...
Best Peppers to Start Indoors in April: Ten Varieties for a Strong Summer Harvest.Haven't started your pepper seeds yet? Don't fret, there is plenty of time to plant seeds for the fastest growing peppers and other fast-growing veggies. Since peppers can take a little longer to get going than other veggies, we recommend starting our fastest growing peppers, which will germinate quickly and grow into robust plants in just 65-75 days. So even those of you with short growing seasons can start these in April! Read more about our top pepper varieties to plant this sprin...
Trap Crops: Overwintered Cabbage acts as a Beneficial Insect NurseryWhat is a trap crop? A trap crop is a sacrificial plant species, or a specific variety, planted strategically to attract insects and pests away from other crops. Attract & Support Beneficial Insects with Overwintered Brassicas: Did you know that overwintered cabbage and other brassicas like broccoli and kale can act as a trap crop and a nursery for beneficial insects? Brassicas will attract pests, especially aphids when they go into flowering mode at the end of the season, and when left i...
Free FertilizerOn a budget? Make your own fertilizer for your garden vegetables. Fertilizer isn't inexpensive, and it is getting more expensive every year. And organic fertilizers, which we use, cost even more! But you can create your own organic fertilizer, in fact, you may already be making fertilizer in your kitchen and you don't realize it! Do you make mashed potatoes? Skip the salt when cooking and use the water for your garden! The cooled (unsalted) water used for boiling potatoes is a highly...
It's not too late to start Hatch & Pueblo Chile seeds!It's not too late to start Hatch Chile and Pueblo Chile seeds! These fast growing varieties were perfected by farmers over generations to grow well in the short seasons of the West. They germinate quickly, and grow fast, where you'll get pods in about 70 days after transplanting into the garden. Another added perk is that if you live in a dry growing region, these Western peppers don't need as much water as many other vegetables and fruits, so they work well in hot, dry climates....
Why grow Cucurbits?The Cucurbitaceae also called cucurbits or the gourd family, includes cucumbers, melons, squash, pumpkins. Cucurbits are a great addition to any summer vegetable garden for their productivity. All the cucurbits need rich soil and enough water, it's good to create rich soil and compost based mounds and direct seed these plants. You can also start them indoors, but be sure to transplant them when they are very young outside before they start getting root bound, they don't like having th...
How to Grow Peppers Faster: 7 Tips for Earlier HarvestsWondering how to grow peppers faster? How to Grow Peppers Faster:7 Tips for Earlier Harvests If you want peppers to grow faster, the key is to give them warmth, light, and a strong head start indoors. Peppers are heat-loving plants, so they grow best when you help them germinate early, keep them warm, and choose varieties that mature quickly. 1. Start seeds early and keep them warm Pepper seeds germinate best when the soil stays consistently warm, ideally around 80˚-90˚ Fahrenheit. Most vari...
Beans not getting soft?If you cook beans from scratch (dried beans), you may have noticed that they sometimes don't get soft no matter how long you cook them. There are a couple reasons that beans might not be getting soft: Old beans may not get soft, so use fresh beans. Why? As dried beans age, moisture evaporates, giving pectin time to age and harden the skin, which results in beans that refuse to get fully soft. Beans can remain hard if acidic ingredients are added before they get soft. Tomatoes, vinega...
Pepper Flower Drop
Are your pepper plants dropping blossoms and not producing peppers? Pepper flower drop is typically a stress response to extreme temperatures or other issues, and it's not uncommon. The most common causes include extreme temperatures (daytime above 85°F–95°F or nighttime below 50°F–60°F), irregular watering, nutrient imbalances (like excess nitrogen), poor pollination, and natural shedding because the plant produces more flowers than it can support. Natural shedding of pepper flowers: yo...
Big Jim Chiles Seed Review with Photo
"First harvest, today, of Big Jims from three of my home garden plants grown from your seed. I’m sure the taste isn’t as good as if they were Hatch-grown but I’ve already roasted a few from these plants and they are damn close. I transplanted the seedlings on April 9, 2026 in Cornelius, NC and looking forward to many more harvests to come as they are loaded with new fruit and blossoms. Thanks so much for the high quality seed!" ~ James from NC Thanks James, for sharing your photo an...
25% OFF SEEDS TO GROW MORE FOOD
This sale has ended. Want more deals on seeds? Get 10% off any of our seeds + more deals when you Subscribe » Check out our rotating selection of 50% Off Seeds » Check out our Discounted Seed Bundles » FILL IN THE GAPS & GROW MORE FOOD!GET 25% OFF on seeds in our “Grow more food” collection!Use discount code: GROWMOREFOODOffer expired July 15, 2026.It is not too late to sow more veggie seeds in your garden in July! You can fill in gaps in the garden where you may have already harvest...
Seed Viability
Sandia Seed Company is proud to offer excellent seed viability for all of our seed packets! We test and ensure all of our high-quality seeds have germination rates above 85%. We only sell the freshest seeds from the prior season and stand behind our packets with a Seed Germination Guarantee. We also guarantee that our seeds grow true to type! No mystery peppers here! We are also proud to have signed and fully support the Seed Integrity Pledge. As signers, we pledge that we do not knowingly b...
From Seed to Table: Why Growing Your Own Food Matters More Than Ever
Growing Your Own Food Matters More Than Ever!There are a lot of benefits to growing your own vegetables and fruit at home. Here are just a few reasons why growing your own food: Water Conservation: Vegetable (and fruit) gardens actually use less water than traditional bluegrass lawns, often saving 50–75% of water use — especially if using drip irrigation and mulch. If you live in a dry and drought-prone region, removing grass and adding vegetable gardens can help cut down on water use and exp...
20% OFF ALL OF OUR FASTEST GROWING VEGETABLE SEEDS!
SORRY, THIS SALE HAS ENDED! Signup for our newsletter to get our future deals!20% OFF ALL OF OUR FASTEST GROWING VEGETABLE SEEDS! Use discount code: FASTERHARVEST to save big on all of our Fastest Growing Vegetable Seeds Collection!Now through Sunday, May 24, 2026!This collection has all of our fastest growing peppers, tomatoes plus lots of companion vegetables that make great companions for your peppers.Lettuce, chives, carrots, radishes, beans, cilantro, squash, basil, parsley, dill, orega...
Conserve Nutrients & Moisture in your Vegetable Pots with Mulch
Conserve Nutrients & Moisture in your Vegetable Pots with Mulch Shown above, a new pepper plant has been transplanted into a large pot that has some lettuce growing in it currently. This pot was mulched with grass clippings to conserve moisture (which is important in our dry Western climate) and feed the soil life. Conserve Nutrients in your Veggie Pots:Adding mulch to your veggie pots can help them hold onto nutrients. Growing veggies in pots is a great way to expand your growing spac...
WIN FREE SEEDS: in our Pepper Progress Photo Contest
ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS! Thanks to everyone who posted photos! We love seeing your pepper seedlings and plants in the garden!These three winners are receiving a $20 gift card:Jessica R.Tricia L. T.YOrganics Homestead Stay tuned for more contests by subscribing to our newsletter »Original contest (now over): Share your pepper progress pics for a chance to WIN A $20 GIFT CARD! Post a photo featuring your pepper seeds, seedlings, or plants in the garden!1. Post a photo on Instagram and tag wi...
Best Hot Sauces: Our Top Picks for Heat and Flavor
We are starting this post to talk about our favorite hot sauces! As spice-addicted chileheads, we love both homemade hot sauce recipes and commercial hot sauces – and we have a whole fridge shelf full of them and the selection is ever-changing. What are your favorite hot sauces? Best Hot Sauces: Our Top Picks for Heat and Flavor Marie Sharp's is one of the best hot sauce companies out there, we haven't met one of their hot sauces that we didn't like. Based in Belize, Marie Sharp ...
20% OFF OUR FASTEST GROWING TOMATO SEEDS
20% OFF OUR FASTEST GROWING TOMATO SEEDS SORRY, THIS SALE HAS ENDED! Signup for our newsletter to get our future deals!Use discount code: FASTERTOMATOES to save big on all of our Short Season Tomato Seeds CollectionNow through Sunday, May 17, 2026. Some of our favorite short season tomatoes include Sun Gold, a very sweet cherry tomato; Super Sweet 100, another productive and flavorful cherry type; Black Prince, which is valued for its rich, heirloom taste; New Yorker, a reliable early slic...
HUGE OVERSTOCK SEED SALE
50% OFF SELECT OVERSTOCK SEEDS! NO DISCOUNT CODE NEEDED. While supplies last! Buy Discount Seeds » Our super-productive and fast growing Cascabella seeds are currently half off! Great for pickling, they make spicy treats for snacks or alongside (or on) a sandwich. Some of our overstock seeds like our Carrot seeds make for great companion plants for your peppers and tomatoes both in the garden and in the kitchen. Try our Habanero & Carrot Hot Sauce Recipe »
Seed Discounts: 20% off our Fastest Growing Peppers!
SORRY, THIS SALE HAS ENDED!Signup for our newsletter to get our future deals! 20% OFF OUR FASTEST GROWING PEPPER SEEDS Use discount code: FASTERPEPPERS to save big on all of our Fastest Growing Pepper Seeds CollectionNow through Sunday, May 10, 2026. (EXPIRED) The secret to harvesting peppers faster is to grow the fastest growing varieties including: Chocolate Bell, Early Jalapeño, Lemon Spice Jalapeño, Serrano Tampiqueño, Shishito, Hatch Big Jim, 6-4 Mild Hatch Green Chile, Banana Peppers an...
Garlic Chives - eat the Seedheads!
Did you know? Garlic chives have edible flowers and seed heads! In addition to eating the greens and roots, don't overlook the beautifully garlic flavored blooms and seed heads. The white blooms and young green seed pods have a light garlic taste and work well in salads, stir-fries, or as a garnish. For the best flavor and texture, harvest them while they’re still green—before they dry out, turn brown, and become tough.You can also pickle these in brine like capers!This is also a way to ...
Best Peppers to Start Indoors in April: Ten Varieties for a Strong Summer Harvest.
Haven't started your pepper seeds yet? Don't fret, there is plenty of time to plant seeds for the fastest growing peppers and other fast-growing veggies. Since peppers can take a little longer to get going than other veggies, we recommend starting our fastest growing peppers, which will germinate quickly and grow into robust plants in just 65-75 days. So even those of you with short growing seasons can start these in April! Read more about our top pepper varieties to plant this sprin...
Trap Crops: Overwintered Cabbage acts as a Beneficial Insect Nursery
What is a trap crop? A trap crop is a sacrificial plant species, or a specific variety, planted strategically to attract insects and pests away from other crops. Attract & Support Beneficial Insects with Overwintered Brassicas: Did you know that overwintered cabbage and other brassicas like broccoli and kale can act as a trap crop and a nursery for beneficial insects? Brassicas will attract pests, especially aphids when they go into flowering mode at the end of the season, and when left i...
Free Fertilizer
On a budget? Make your own fertilizer for your garden vegetables. Fertilizer isn't inexpensive, and it is getting more expensive every year. And organic fertilizers, which we use, cost even more! But you can create your own organic fertilizer, in fact, you may already be making fertilizer in your kitchen and you don't realize it! Do you make mashed potatoes? Skip the salt when cooking and use the water for your garden! The cooled (unsalted) water used for boiling potatoes is a highly...
It's not too late to start Hatch & Pueblo Chile seeds!
It's not too late to start Hatch Chile and Pueblo Chile seeds! These fast growing varieties were perfected by farmers over generations to grow well in the short seasons of the West. They germinate quickly, and grow fast, where you'll get pods in about 70 days after transplanting into the garden. Another added perk is that if you live in a dry growing region, these Western peppers don't need as much water as many other vegetables and fruits, so they work well in hot, dry climates....
Why grow Cucurbits?
The Cucurbitaceae also called cucurbits or the gourd family, includes cucumbers, melons, squash, pumpkins. Cucurbits are a great addition to any summer vegetable garden for their productivity. All the cucurbits need rich soil and enough water, it's good to create rich soil and compost based mounds and direct seed these plants. You can also start them indoors, but be sure to transplant them when they are very young outside before they start getting root bound, they don't like having th...
How to Grow Peppers Faster: 7 Tips for Earlier Harvests
Wondering how to grow peppers faster? How to Grow Peppers Faster:7 Tips for Earlier Harvests If you want peppers to grow faster, the key is to give them warmth, light, and a strong head start indoors. Peppers are heat-loving plants, so they grow best when you help them germinate early, keep them warm, and choose varieties that mature quickly. 1. Start seeds early and keep them warm Pepper seeds germinate best when the soil stays consistently warm, ideally around 80˚-90˚ Fahrenheit. Most vari...
Beans not getting soft?
If you cook beans from scratch (dried beans), you may have noticed that they sometimes don't get soft no matter how long you cook them. There are a couple reasons that beans might not be getting soft: Old beans may not get soft, so use fresh beans. Why? As dried beans age, moisture evaporates, giving pectin time to age and harden the skin, which results in beans that refuse to get fully soft. Beans can remain hard if acidic ingredients are added before they get soft. Tomatoes, vinega...
