Should I harvest peppers before frost?Should I harvest peppers before frost? Absolutely! Don't let the pepper pods freeze outside on the plants, as they will turn to mush. Harvesting peppers before frost: Do you have to harvest your peppers before a frost, but they're not ripe? Here are our suggestions: Pick your Peppers:You can pick the peppers, and if they are close enough to ripe, they may turn color on your counter. Many peppers like jalapeños are often picked green, so enjoy them green – you'll find that super...
Jalapenos Turning Black?Don't worry if your jalapenos are turning black! Most Jalapeños turn black often during their to natural ripening process. Most Jalapeño varieties mature from green to red, and during this time they often turn partially black or deep purple – this is totally normal. You may be worried that there is something wrong with your Jalapeño peppers, but it's common for them to turn partially dark or black as they ripening to red. Green to black to red is how they ripen!Jalapeños peppers can b...
Shishito RecipesThere are lots of delicious Shishito Recipes! Shishitos are great sweet peppers to grow in the garden as they are fast growing so they are one of the first peppers to harvest, and then they just keep producing all season long. They are one of the easiest peppers to grow, and are great for beginner gardeners. Shishitos grow happily in pots, too. You can pick them often to eat fresh or make a variety of dishes with them. Here are a few of our favorite Shishito Recipe ideas: Sautéed Shishitos ...
Safe Seed PledgeSandia Seed Company is proud to sign the Safe Seed Pledge! We believe in selling only non-GMO seeds. THE SEED INTEGRITY PLEDGE: Seeds are essential for the provision of healthy food, our well-being, and that of our environment and planet. We must protect the diversity and genetic integrity of our seeds to provide the foundation for a stable, safe food supply for us and for generations to come. The mechanical alteration of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods within or bet...
How Cold can Cabbage Tolerate?We love growing cabbage for our spicy Mexican Coleslaw / Cabbage Coleslaw recipe! Brunswick Cabbage is great to grow this time of year, as it can stay growing in the garden with cold temps long after the peppers and tomatoes can... and it's great Cabbage can typically withstand temperatures down to the mid-to-low 20s°F before it begins to freeze, but its exact freezing point depends on the variety and how it has been preconditioned by weather. A light frost (28–32°F) is generally n...
Chili Recipe with Homegrown Red Chiles!Make this delicious red chili from chiles and other ingredients from your garden! Ingredients: 3 whole dried Guajillo chiles 3 whole dried Ancho chiles 3 whole dried Red New Mexico chiles 1-2+ green bell peppers or roasted/peeled New Mexico or Pueblo Green Chiles, chopped 1 large poblano pepper, chopped, seeds removed (can also roast) 2 (16 oz.) cans red kidney beans 1 (16 oz.) can pinto beans 1 cup of fresh or canned diced tomatoes (optional) 1 Onion 4-6+ Garlic Cloves, minced (2+ ...
Growing seeds in winter: Winter Sowing in FebruaryCan I winter sow in February? Yes, February is a great time for Winter Sowing in many regions like the West. We usually have to wait until mid-May here in Colorado to bring out indoor-started peppers and tomatoes and other warm weather veggies to harden off and get ready to transplant into the garden. But that doesn't mean you can't start some seeds outdoors despite the freezing weather and snow... because you can Winter Sow! Cool weather veggies, herbs and native plants can do very...
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 ...
Free Shipping on Seeds this week!THIS OFFER HAS ENDED. SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE DISCOUNTS » EXPIRED DISCOUNT:Free USPS Ground Shipping on all seed orders over $20 for 3 days only for customers in the USA Tuesday-Thursday, Feb 11-13, 2025Use discount code: FREESHIP25 Sorry the discount is expired!Subscribe below for more discounts:
Valentine's Day Gift Cards for the Gardener in your life!Gift Cards for seeds make the perfect last-minute but thoughtful Valentine's Day gifts. Give a gift to grow together! Sandia Seed's gift cards are a spicy addition to any Valentine's Day present – your loved one can buy all the super hot peppers to spice up your lives! Our gift cards are great for last minute gifts too, as they can be sent via email (or you can print it out and put it in a card!) We have over 101 peppers of the world to choose from, from super sweet to super spic...
Growing Peppers in Pots - Extend the harvest!Growing peppers in Pots is a great way to extend the harvest for those growing in short seasons! These habaneros and herbs shown above were picked in mid-November in Denver, Colorado – grown in pots that were moved into a small garden bed hoop house to keep them warm through the fall snows and frosts. Denver had an exceptionally warm fall and so peppers were picked all the way through mid-November! In the Front Range, it was an unusually long season in 2024, but the un-heated hoop house kept ...
Canned Salsa RecipesCanning: because you don't have to read ingredient labels when you're the one that filled that jar. Most of these salsa recipes can be canned, too! Canned Hot Pepper Salsa Recipe »Carolina Reaper Salsa Recipe »Trinidad Scorpion Salsa Recipe »Vinegar Pepper Sauce Recipe »Ghost Pepper Salsa Recipe »Orange Salsa Recipe » Pico de Gallo Recipe »Tomatillo Salsa Recipe »Hatch Chile Salsa Recipe » Quick Salsa » No-Peel Salsa Recipe »Green Tomato Salsa Recipe »Salsa Macha Recipe » Cab...
Pepper Growing for BeginnersA customer just asked us about his seedlings that were just starting to popup. He's a beginner and was wondering if he should keep the humidity dome on them if not all the seeds had sprouted yet, and when he should fertilize. Here's our quick answer: Don't keep a humidity dome over your peppers after they germinate as that can cause damping off and other problems. The rest should still mostly sprout if kept moist. You can also move the ones that haven't germinated under a h...
Hot Sauce from Dried PeppersDrying peppers is a great way to preserve your summer harvest for year-round use. And, dried peppers make for great hot sauce, too! Here's a simple recipe to use some of your dried hot peppers to make a delicious hot sauce: DRIED PEPPER HOT SAUCE RECIPE 1 cup dried hot peppers (any varieties!) 1 cup apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar) 1 head garlic peeled Enough boiling water to cover ingredients Remove stems from dried hot peppers and place them in a glass pyrex bowl or jar. B...
“GREATEST SALE EVER”SALE HAS ENDED!Signup for our newsletter to get our future deals! ... Get 30% off all the USA seed varieties that we sell that have a city or state in their name! Did we miss any? SALE GOES FOR 3 DAYS ONLY: Jan 31 - Feb 2, 2025 (ENDED)Signup for our newsletter to get more deals on our seeds! Happy growing!
Squash Wilting?Why does my squash wilt? If your zucchini, pumpkin, squash or cucumber plants are wilting, it could be a few things: 1. Wilting squash during the Heat of the Day: The most common reason that pumpkin, cucumbers, zucchini and squash leaves wilt is that the cucurbita family has a low root-to-shoot ratio, meaning that they have a shallow root system that supports a very large mass of above ground vegetation. Because of this, during the dry heat of the sunniest part of the day, squash leaves...
Simple Squash Blossom RecipeDo you have squash blossoms from your zucchini, squash or pumpkin plants? These beautiful large orange flowers are perfect for stuffing and pan-frying for a delicious summer treat. You can harvest just the male blossoms and leave the females to develop the squash for later. There are a ton of recipes out there, but here is our easiest recipe, you can also vary up the ingredients for the stuffing, there is no right or wrong way to make these! Simple Squash Blossom Recipe INGREDIENTS: • 6-12+...
August Gardening Tips1. Harvest your Peppers (and other veggies)!Simply harvesting your peppers and other summer vegetables like tomatoes, squash, zucchini, and eggplant can help them continue to produce more fruits over time. Harvesting will encourage the plant to produce more blooms. Does picking peppers make more grow? Yes, the more peppers you pick, the more peppers will continue growing on your plant! Keep harvesting peppers as soon as they are ripe and firm so you can grow more! Read more »2. How to know wh...
Garden MistakesOne mistake you can make as a gardener is believing you are in charge.Learn to go with the flow in gardening, you'll be a lot happier! Even expert gardeners lose plants or crops, so don't give up! Weather, insects, and diseases are often going to present problems in your garden, so plant a wide variety of veggies for the best success. Every year will be different, and it's important to remember you can't control everything! :)Some tips for success:• Plant several varieties of ...
Does picking peppers make more grow?Does picking peppers encourage more to grow? Yes, the more peppers you pick, the more peppers will continue growing on your plant! Keep harvesting peppers as soon as they are ripe and firm so you can grow more! How do you know when peppers are ready to pick? Pick peppers when they are the size and color you want.The harvest time depends on the chile pepper, so look at your seed packet to find out the number of days to harvest for a general idea of when to expect to pick your peppers. Howev...
Should I harvest peppers before frost?
Should I harvest peppers before frost? Absolutely! Don't let the pepper pods freeze outside on the plants, as they will turn to mush. Harvesting peppers before frost: Do you have to harvest your peppers before a frost, but they're not ripe? Here are our suggestions: Pick your Peppers:You can pick the peppers, and if they are close enough to ripe, they may turn color on your counter. Many peppers like jalapeños are often picked green, so enjoy them green – you'll find that super...
Jalapenos Turning Black?
Don't worry if your jalapenos are turning black! Most Jalapeños turn black often during their to natural ripening process. Most Jalapeño varieties mature from green to red, and during this time they often turn partially black or deep purple – this is totally normal. You may be worried that there is something wrong with your Jalapeño peppers, but it's common for them to turn partially dark or black as they ripening to red. Green to black to red is how they ripen!Jalapeños peppers can b...
Shishito Recipes
There are lots of delicious Shishito Recipes! Shishitos are great sweet peppers to grow in the garden as they are fast growing so they are one of the first peppers to harvest, and then they just keep producing all season long. They are one of the easiest peppers to grow, and are great for beginner gardeners. Shishitos grow happily in pots, too. You can pick them often to eat fresh or make a variety of dishes with them. Here are a few of our favorite Shishito Recipe ideas: Sautéed Shishitos ...
Safe Seed Pledge
Sandia Seed Company is proud to sign the Safe Seed Pledge! We believe in selling only non-GMO seeds. THE SEED INTEGRITY PLEDGE: Seeds are essential for the provision of healthy food, our well-being, and that of our environment and planet. We must protect the diversity and genetic integrity of our seeds to provide the foundation for a stable, safe food supply for us and for generations to come. The mechanical alteration of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods within or bet...
How Cold can Cabbage Tolerate?
We love growing cabbage for our spicy Mexican Coleslaw / Cabbage Coleslaw recipe! Brunswick Cabbage is great to grow this time of year, as it can stay growing in the garden with cold temps long after the peppers and tomatoes can... and it's great Cabbage can typically withstand temperatures down to the mid-to-low 20s°F before it begins to freeze, but its exact freezing point depends on the variety and how it has been preconditioned by weather. A light frost (28–32°F) is generally n...
Chili Recipe with Homegrown Red Chiles!
Make this delicious red chili from chiles and other ingredients from your garden! Ingredients: 3 whole dried Guajillo chiles 3 whole dried Ancho chiles 3 whole dried Red New Mexico chiles 1-2+ green bell peppers or roasted/peeled New Mexico or Pueblo Green Chiles, chopped 1 large poblano pepper, chopped, seeds removed (can also roast) 2 (16 oz.) cans red kidney beans 1 (16 oz.) can pinto beans 1 cup of fresh or canned diced tomatoes (optional) 1 Onion 4-6+ Garlic Cloves, minced (2+ ...
Growing seeds in winter: Winter Sowing in February
Can I winter sow in February? Yes, February is a great time for Winter Sowing in many regions like the West. We usually have to wait until mid-May here in Colorado to bring out indoor-started peppers and tomatoes and other warm weather veggies to harden off and get ready to transplant into the garden. But that doesn't mean you can't start some seeds outdoors despite the freezing weather and snow... because you can Winter Sow! Cool weather veggies, herbs and native plants can do very...
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 ...
Free Shipping on Seeds this week!
THIS OFFER HAS ENDED. SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE DISCOUNTS » EXPIRED DISCOUNT:Free USPS Ground Shipping on all seed orders over $20 for 3 days only for customers in the USA Tuesday-Thursday, Feb 11-13, 2025Use discount code: FREESHIP25 Sorry the discount is expired!Subscribe below for more discounts:
Valentine's Day Gift Cards for the Gardener in your life!
Gift Cards for seeds make the perfect last-minute but thoughtful Valentine's Day gifts. Give a gift to grow together! Sandia Seed's gift cards are a spicy addition to any Valentine's Day present – your loved one can buy all the super hot peppers to spice up your lives! Our gift cards are great for last minute gifts too, as they can be sent via email (or you can print it out and put it in a card!) We have over 101 peppers of the world to choose from, from super sweet to super spic...
Growing Peppers in Pots - Extend the harvest!
Growing peppers in Pots is a great way to extend the harvest for those growing in short seasons! These habaneros and herbs shown above were picked in mid-November in Denver, Colorado – grown in pots that were moved into a small garden bed hoop house to keep them warm through the fall snows and frosts. Denver had an exceptionally warm fall and so peppers were picked all the way through mid-November! In the Front Range, it was an unusually long season in 2024, but the un-heated hoop house kept ...
Canned Salsa Recipes
Canning: because you don't have to read ingredient labels when you're the one that filled that jar. Most of these salsa recipes can be canned, too! Canned Hot Pepper Salsa Recipe »Carolina Reaper Salsa Recipe »Trinidad Scorpion Salsa Recipe »Vinegar Pepper Sauce Recipe »Ghost Pepper Salsa Recipe »Orange Salsa Recipe » Pico de Gallo Recipe »Tomatillo Salsa Recipe »Hatch Chile Salsa Recipe » Quick Salsa » No-Peel Salsa Recipe »Green Tomato Salsa Recipe »Salsa Macha Recipe » Cab...
Pepper Growing for Beginners
A customer just asked us about his seedlings that were just starting to popup. He's a beginner and was wondering if he should keep the humidity dome on them if not all the seeds had sprouted yet, and when he should fertilize. Here's our quick answer: Don't keep a humidity dome over your peppers after they germinate as that can cause damping off and other problems. The rest should still mostly sprout if kept moist. You can also move the ones that haven't germinated under a h...
Hot Sauce from Dried Peppers
Drying peppers is a great way to preserve your summer harvest for year-round use. And, dried peppers make for great hot sauce, too! Here's a simple recipe to use some of your dried hot peppers to make a delicious hot sauce: DRIED PEPPER HOT SAUCE RECIPE 1 cup dried hot peppers (any varieties!) 1 cup apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar) 1 head garlic peeled Enough boiling water to cover ingredients Remove stems from dried hot peppers and place them in a glass pyrex bowl or jar. B...
“GREATEST SALE EVER”
SALE HAS ENDED!Signup for our newsletter to get our future deals! ... Get 30% off all the USA seed varieties that we sell that have a city or state in their name! Did we miss any? SALE GOES FOR 3 DAYS ONLY: Jan 31 - Feb 2, 2025 (ENDED)Signup for our newsletter to get more deals on our seeds! Happy growing!
Squash Wilting?
Why does my squash wilt? If your zucchini, pumpkin, squash or cucumber plants are wilting, it could be a few things: 1. Wilting squash during the Heat of the Day: The most common reason that pumpkin, cucumbers, zucchini and squash leaves wilt is that the cucurbita family has a low root-to-shoot ratio, meaning that they have a shallow root system that supports a very large mass of above ground vegetation. Because of this, during the dry heat of the sunniest part of the day, squash leaves...
Simple Squash Blossom Recipe
Do you have squash blossoms from your zucchini, squash or pumpkin plants? These beautiful large orange flowers are perfect for stuffing and pan-frying for a delicious summer treat. You can harvest just the male blossoms and leave the females to develop the squash for later. There are a ton of recipes out there, but here is our easiest recipe, you can also vary up the ingredients for the stuffing, there is no right or wrong way to make these! Simple Squash Blossom Recipe INGREDIENTS: • 6-12+...
August Gardening Tips
1. Harvest your Peppers (and other veggies)!Simply harvesting your peppers and other summer vegetables like tomatoes, squash, zucchini, and eggplant can help them continue to produce more fruits over time. Harvesting will encourage the plant to produce more blooms. Does picking peppers make more grow? Yes, the more peppers you pick, the more peppers will continue growing on your plant! Keep harvesting peppers as soon as they are ripe and firm so you can grow more! Read more »2. How to know wh...
Garden Mistakes
One mistake you can make as a gardener is believing you are in charge.Learn to go with the flow in gardening, you'll be a lot happier! Even expert gardeners lose plants or crops, so don't give up! Weather, insects, and diseases are often going to present problems in your garden, so plant a wide variety of veggies for the best success. Every year will be different, and it's important to remember you can't control everything! :)Some tips for success:• Plant several varieties of ...
Does picking peppers make more grow?
Does picking peppers encourage more to grow? Yes, the more peppers you pick, the more peppers will continue growing on your plant! Keep harvesting peppers as soon as they are ripe and firm so you can grow more! How do you know when peppers are ready to pick? Pick peppers when they are the size and color you want.The harvest time depends on the chile pepper, so look at your seed packet to find out the number of days to harvest for a general idea of when to expect to pick your peppers. Howev...
