Hot Pepper Companion PlantsDo you plant marigolds with your peppers and tomatoes? We think they help keep the plants healthy and pest-free! Marigolds can help repel beetles, nematodes, aphids, potato bugs and squash bugs on not only peppers but other veggies, too! We love planting marigolds among our pepper plants and tomato plants. Marigolds also release a substance from their roots that wards off nematodes and eel worms, which target peppers and other veggies in the garden. Nasturtium flowers are also great compan...
Gardening Questions?Do you have local gardening questions? When do I start my tomatoes in my area? What veggie seeds can I direct sow, and when are the best times? What is the best time to start seeds indoors? Should I direct sow beans, or start them indoors in my area? Depending on your area, the answer may be different! You can always ask your own state’s cooperative extension service to answer questions on when to start vegetable seeds and what types of veggies grow best in your area. These local expert...
Spicy Beet Greens RecipeWe love growing beets!! They are so delicious and so easy to grow. Did you know you can also eat the greens? Recipe posted below! Spicy Beet Greens Recipe: Ingredients: Olive oil Beet greens, washed and cut into 2-inch pieces 3+ cloves garlic, minced Crushed hot pepper flakes to taste Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper Directions: Heat up the oil in a heavy sautée pan. Sautée the beet greens and garlic until the greens are wilted and tender, 5 to 8...
FREE SEEDS with PurchaseEXPIRED OFFER: Get a Free Packet of Watermelon seeds to plant in May 2021 when you buy any seeds in our Get Real Gardening Collection! NOTE: This offer is expired, stay tuned and signup for our newsletter for future deals. You can direct sow watermelon seeds, we like to soak them overnight first to help them get nice and saturated before direct sowing in mounds in the garden. Shop now » FUN FACT: We are named Sandia Seed after the Sandia mountains in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sandía mea...
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&...
Big Jim ChileDid you know that the Big Jim Chile holds the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest chile pepper in the world? These chiles are HUGE averaging around 8-10" but have been known to grow to 14" in length! The beautiful & huge Legacy Big Jim Chile pods have great flavor and thick flesh. The record-holder peppers produces an abundant crop on 30” tall Big Jim chile plants. When full size and green in color, this New Mexico chile is perfect for big stuffed rellenos. After roa...
Can peppers survive 40 degree weather?People have asked, can peppers survive 40˚ F temperatures? Yes, pepper plants can SURVIVE 40˚ F temperatures, but they won't be happy about it and it will likely stunt their growth. Most peppers are not happy when temperatures drop below 50-60˚ F. They will survive, but they most certainly will not thrive if kept too long in cool temps!If you live in a short season climate, we recommend starting pepper seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost of the spring is expected, and wait to...
Wholesale SeedsSandia Seed offers Wholesale Seeds to anyone who wants to resell seeds in online stores, garden centers, hardware stores, gift shops or other local stores. Sandia Seed offers Wholesale Seeds for all of our 100+ pepper seeds and our top favorite 44+ tomato seeds including lots of heirloom and Vegetable Seeds from around the world. It's easy to become a Sandia Seed seller! We offer new wholesale customers receive 50% off your first order over $300 and then all future reorders with no mini...
Leggy Seedlings?One of the best ways to keep seedlings from getting leggy is to pet or brush them with your hands. Yes, you heard that right, we "pet" our seedlings to stimulate them to grow stockier and not get leggy. You can also use a small fan on them to keep them from getting leggy and spindly. Air circulation is important to keep seedlings healthy, and keep them from succumbing to dampening off, a common seedling ailment that causes them to shrivel and die. We grow a lot of pepper seeds and tom...
Can you put pepper plants together in one big pot?Should you put more than one pepper plant in a pot? Our answer: It depends on how big the pot is – the bigger the better if you want to grow more than one pepper plant per pot. We think it's best to separate them. We like to use 5-7 gallon pots for peppers, as we find that too small of a pot, they dry out too quickly and hinder the growth. Some people plant up to 3 plants per five gallon bucket, but we've found that they won't do as well as if each one had their own bucket. ...
Purple PeppersLooking for purple peppers? We not only have several varieties of purple peppers you can grow, but we also have purple tomatoes, too! Growing purple peppers and tomatoes adds lots of color to the garden and your harvest. We have sweet purple peppers such as the purple bell pepper as well as hot purple peppers like the Purple Bhut Jolokia ghost pepper. You can make a deep purple salsa if you grow some of our purple tomatoes and purple peppers – which is sure to be a spicy delight to ...
How deep do Hatch Chile roots grow?We often get this question from gardeners, especially those with raised beds: “How deep do Hatch Chile roots grow?” A:For the best harvests and healthy plants, we like to plant green chile plants in deep beds, we recommend 18-24" of soil depth.Many larger chile plants, such as the Legacy Big Jim, grow to a height of 30" so having a deep root system helps them stay strong to hold up those huge green chile pods. How deep can pepper plants' roots grow?Typically most larger pepper...
Seed HoardingAND... JUST LIKE THAT I WENT FROM SEED HOARDING, TO BEING PREPARED!;)Perhaps like us, you might hoard seeds! Every year we find ourselves hoarding seeds... well, we decided we're just being prepared, right?! We also share and donate our seeds with seed libraries and at seed swaps and with other gardeners. It's easy to share seeds! So we don't consider it seed hoarding, we are simply prepared, right? We are determined to grow out all of our seeds, but limited garden space foils...
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...
Container Size for PeppersWe often get asked from our seed customers: What is the Best Container Size For Peppers? Our recommendation is to plant peppers in containers that are at least 5 gallons in size or larger. Larger pots are better as you don't have to water quite as often! For larger varieties like many Hatch Chile varieties, Bell peppers and Poblanos and, use a larger pot with 5 gallons or more. Find larger sized pots like 12-14+ inches in height for better yields, due to a larger root system. For larg...
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