Why are bell peppers so hard to grow?Do you have luck growing bell peppers? Or do you struggle growing them? Do they only produce a couple peppers for the season? Growing Bell peppers can be challenging for some growing regions. Bell peppers are tropical natives that enjoy warm temperatures between 65-85˚F, and they generally prefer high humidity with fertile soil. In some regions, like the arid West with it's intense high altitude sun, bell peppers can be more challenging to grow. Bell peppers are especially prone to sunbur...
How to Grow Bell PeppersWondering How to Grow Bell Peppers?Here are our top tips for Growing Bell Peppers: Bell peppers are relatively easy to grow, but here are a few tips so you can have the best success! First, plant pepper seeds at least 8-10 weeks before your area's last frost date. Plant seeds in pre-moistened well-draining seedling starter mix and bury the seeds about 1/4" deep. Use a seedling heat mat to speed up germination – this will help keep the seeds warm, ideally 80-90˚ F is optimal for fast...
What type of peppers does Mezzetta use? Cascabellas!What type of peppers does Mezzetta use? Mezzetta™ Hot Chili Peppers (those jars of spicy yellow pickled peppers) are made from Cascabella peppers. The hot and delicious yellow peppers that they put into jars of Mezzetta Hot Chili Peppers are grown in Northern California, but did you know that you can grow them in your own backyard? They're easy to start from Cascabella seeds! If you're addicted to the deliciously spicy Mezzetta Hot Chili Peppers, then make sure to grow some Cascabe...
Sautéed Bell PeppersQuick and easy to make in just 15 minutes, these Sautéed Bell Peppers are a wonderful way to add color, flavor, and a veggie to so many meals! These perfect peppers make the ideal side dish or topping for tacos, fajitas, salads, and more. Servings: 4 servings Ingredients 3 bell peppers cut into ½-inch strips OR 3 cups of any sweet peppers 1½ Tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon salt Instructions Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the s...
Purple Bell PeppersLooking for Purple Bell Peppers or other Purple Pepper seeds? If you love purple like we do, you always want to plant purple flowers... but did you know you can also plant purple vegetables like Purple Bell Peppers or Purple Tomatoes? Purple is one of the best colors in your garden, it compliments the green leaves and everyone who sees a purple pepper or fruit are delighted! View all our beautiful Ornamental Peppers » If you like hot peppers like us, check out the Bhut Jolokia Purple pe...
Top 15 questions about Bell PeppersWe receive many questions about peppers and have written the answers to the most common questions about Bell Peppers here. Answers will include Bell Pepper growth, color, storage and health benefits. View all of our bell pepper seeds » 1. What is the best Bell Pepper variety for my area? Peppers are a warm season crop and need temperatures above 75 degrees throughout their growing season. Higher latitudes and altitudes can extend the start of growing season, wet areas can use raised beds, and...
Sweet Chocolate Bell Pepper - the earliest pepper!This Sweet Chocolate Bell Pepper is our earliest pepper! Ripening at just 57 days, this delicious pepper goes from green to dark brown on the outside with brick-red flesh on the inside. Very beautiful when chopped and put on salads, on sandwiches or in flash-fried for fajitas. If you like sweet peppers, you have to try this little delicious gem. These Sweet Chocolate Bell Peppers are about 3-4" in size, and the plants tolerate cool nights – making them good for earlier growing in the spr...
Christmas Bell - Bishop Crown PepperThe heirloom Bishop Crown: or "Christmas Bell" is originally from Brazil. This variety produces one of the most unusual pod shapes of any chile pepper. Bishop Crown is a unique thin-skinned red pepper with the unusual appearance of a tri-cornered hat like a Catholic Bishop’s Crown. The heat level has a very wide range from a medium 5,000 scoville heat units (SHU), all the way up to a very hot 15,000 SHU. Its small size is 1-1/2” long by 2”- 3“ wide with a sweet and fruity taste. B...
Best Peppers for Hot SauceWe've picked out our favorite peppers for hot sauce (and some of your favorites) that you can grow in your garden to make hot sauce! Find our favorite hot sauce recipes and make them your own with any of these hot peppers. You can use any hot pepper or combination of peppers to make hot sauce, so don't feel limited, experiment! The sky's the limit. You'll find that some you love some peppers even more than others, but it's fun to try them all. Hot sauce captures the essenc...
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+ ...
What are the best tasting sweet peppers?Customers ask often, what are the best tasting sweet peppers? We recommend to grow peppers beyond the classic bell peppers, which are also great when homegrown and come in a variety of sizes including the extra-early Chocolate Bell Pepper, but there are a ton of specialty sweet peppers from around the world that will wow your tastebuds and be very useful in the kitchen for all sorts of recipes. Whether you want sweet peppers to add to stir fries, burritos, sauces, or to pickle, marinate, roas...
Ten great peppers for pots in small spaces!Peppers are a great vegetable to grow on a patio, deck or sunny balcony. So if you don't have a lot of space, you can still grow some peppers! Some people even grow them under lights indoors, year-round! Above are Fire and Ice peppers growing in a glorious blue ceramic pot – this variety is perfect for patio containers as it really looks like fire at the end of the season with colorful yellow to orange to red peppers growing upwards. Most peppers grow great in pots and containers – and ca...
Tomato spotted wilt virus - mottled tomatoesThe above photo of some wild looking mottled tomatoes is damage most likely caused by the Tomato spotted wilt virus. Plants infected with Tomato spotted wilt virus exhibit bronzing of the upper sides of young leaves, which later develop distinct, necrotic mottled spots. It looks wild, but it usually results in a less tasty tomato though it is still safe to eat if it doesn't taste too bad. This viral disease is infectious to many other plants including peppers, so it's best to remove ...
Pickle RecipesWe love pickles and make them out of a lot of our cucumbers and hot peppers.like Cascabellas and Jalapenos and other Wax Peppers. Pickled peppers are delicious, we like to leave out the sugar and use hot peppers for a nice vinegary punch of heat and flavor anytime we feel like a snack. And spicy cucumber pickles are another perfect snack or side or topper for a sandwich or burger! If you don't have a huge harvest, make refrigerator pickles which are crunchier and they keep in the fridge f...
NEW SEEDS FOR 2025WE HAVE NEW SEEDS ARRIVING! We are excited to announce the addition of new seeds to our mid-season lineup.New seeds now available: Gypsy Sweet Pepper This super fast growing sweet pepper has a fantastic sweet flavor and is never bitter like a bell pepper can be. The plants produce an unbelievable amount of fruit all season that you can enjoy early at the yellow-green stage or wait until they fully ripen to orange-red. Sun Gold F1 TomatoThese bright golden orange tomatoes have a sweet, juicy,...
Seeds to plant in JanuaryCan you plant seeds in January? Yes, because for us gardeners, it's hard to resist waiting! And there is no reason to wait. That said, in most growing regions, starting seeds outside in January isn't realistic (at least without cover, read more about that lower below.) In growing regions with cold winters, the ground is usually frozen or covered in snow, and ongoing frosts are imminent. But there are some cool weather veggies that can be started outdoors under cover, and you can start...
I'm going to grow these every year, they are HOT!! They make great poppers and salsa. Very productive, easy to grow, quick germination and fast growing plants. Thank you for the stellar seeds.
I planted several cultivars from wholesale seed. These were prolific. See all that RED (and green)?!? Looking forward to harvesting in a few days. Thank You Sandia Seed!
I pretty much use Sandia seeds exclusively! A few years ago I just happened to order your Jalapeño M. To me it's the perfect Jalapeño! Really nice size! Perfect heat for what we like! Wonderful flavor with a meatyness that's perfect for many different uses! I make my own Sriracha so I wait for them to turn red. They're one of my base peppers for my sauce! I praise them to all my personal friends and to members of groups that I belong to!
Serrano Hidalgo Seeds fromSandia Seed produce even in the HOT drought of central Illinois this year! I love adding a little Mexican kick to my salsa but also tossing these on the grill! They have great flavor and produce all summer long!
I had looked high & low, and searched the web with many word combinations ‘looking’ specifically for my favorite chili, the Dynamite xx Hot… so I could grow my own. The peppers were sold in Colorado at select places during roasting season, but you couldn’t buy seeds for them… anywhere!
Finally, as luck and persistence would have it, I discovered Sandia Seed Company.
Thank you Sandia! I planted them and had a great crop this year. I plan on growing them every year as well as trying some of their other seeds,
There's just something fun about growing a jalapeno that is light enough in color that some people think it's a banana pepper. LOL! I picked these just for color variety, and I'm very pleased that my plants have been loaded with them all season! We donated about 50 lbs of mixed peppers this year from our garden and I still had enough to freeze some and can more jars of recipes than we'll probably be able to use before next season. All my peppers were from Sandia Seed Company. I've never had such great pepper production before using these seeds!!
This spinach germinated well, and produced way more spinach than I'd initially expected. It grew really well, was slow to bolt in the summer, and has a really nice mild flavor for salads or steamed.
This was my first time growing these and I will definitely be growing them from now on. Great germination and very sturdy plants that have withstood some really high winds. Huge long peppers that are excellent green or red, very easy to peel skin.
Growing these in Florida, (Recent transplant of NM).
Lovely peppers. Took a couple weeks is all and wow! I have several budding; 2 large enough to nickname. They're still in their infancy, but I can tell they are going to be great! Love the seeds!
I got these to make Chipotle chilis. These fruit early and are mild-ish when green, but when they ripen, they are perfect for smoking and drying with great flavor and nice heat. Don't plant too many as they are quite prolific.
Why are bell peppers so hard to grow?
Do you have luck growing bell peppers? Or do you struggle growing them? Do they only produce a couple peppers for the season? Growing Bell peppers can be challenging for some growing regions. Bell peppers are tropical natives that enjoy warm temperatures between 65-85˚F, and they generally prefer high humidity with fertile soil. In some regions, like the arid West with it's intense high altitude sun, bell peppers can be more challenging to grow. Bell peppers are especially prone to sunbur...
How to Grow Bell Peppers
Wondering How to Grow Bell Peppers?Here are our top tips for Growing Bell Peppers: Bell peppers are relatively easy to grow, but here are a few tips so you can have the best success! First, plant pepper seeds at least 8-10 weeks before your area's last frost date. Plant seeds in pre-moistened well-draining seedling starter mix and bury the seeds about 1/4" deep. Use a seedling heat mat to speed up germination – this will help keep the seeds warm, ideally 80-90˚ F is optimal for fast...
What type of peppers does Mezzetta use? Cascabellas!
What type of peppers does Mezzetta use? Mezzetta™ Hot Chili Peppers (those jars of spicy yellow pickled peppers) are made from Cascabella peppers. The hot and delicious yellow peppers that they put into jars of Mezzetta Hot Chili Peppers are grown in Northern California, but did you know that you can grow them in your own backyard? They're easy to start from Cascabella seeds! If you're addicted to the deliciously spicy Mezzetta Hot Chili Peppers, then make sure to grow some Cascabe...
Sautéed Bell Peppers
Quick and easy to make in just 15 minutes, these Sautéed Bell Peppers are a wonderful way to add color, flavor, and a veggie to so many meals! These perfect peppers make the ideal side dish or topping for tacos, fajitas, salads, and more. Servings: 4 servings Ingredients 3 bell peppers cut into ½-inch strips OR 3 cups of any sweet peppers 1½ Tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon salt Instructions Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the s...
Purple Bell Peppers
Looking for Purple Bell Peppers or other Purple Pepper seeds? If you love purple like we do, you always want to plant purple flowers... but did you know you can also plant purple vegetables like Purple Bell Peppers or Purple Tomatoes? Purple is one of the best colors in your garden, it compliments the green leaves and everyone who sees a purple pepper or fruit are delighted! View all our beautiful Ornamental Peppers » If you like hot peppers like us, check out the Bhut Jolokia Purple pe...
Top 15 questions about Bell Peppers
We receive many questions about peppers and have written the answers to the most common questions about Bell Peppers here. Answers will include Bell Pepper growth, color, storage and health benefits. View all of our bell pepper seeds » 1. What is the best Bell Pepper variety for my area? Peppers are a warm season crop and need temperatures above 75 degrees throughout their growing season. Higher latitudes and altitudes can extend the start of growing season, wet areas can use raised beds, and...
Sweet Chocolate Bell Pepper - the earliest pepper!
This Sweet Chocolate Bell Pepper is our earliest pepper! Ripening at just 57 days, this delicious pepper goes from green to dark brown on the outside with brick-red flesh on the inside. Very beautiful when chopped and put on salads, on sandwiches or in flash-fried for fajitas. If you like sweet peppers, you have to try this little delicious gem. These Sweet Chocolate Bell Peppers are about 3-4" in size, and the plants tolerate cool nights – making them good for earlier growing in the spr...
Best Peppers for Hot Sauce
We've picked out our favorite peppers for hot sauce (and some of your favorites) that you can grow in your garden to make hot sauce! Find our favorite hot sauce recipes and make them your own with any of these hot peppers. You can use any hot pepper or combination of peppers to make hot sauce, so don't feel limited, experiment! The sky's the limit. You'll find that some you love some peppers even more than others, but it's fun to try them all. Hot sauce captures the essenc...
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+ ...
What are the best tasting sweet peppers?
Customers ask often, what are the best tasting sweet peppers? We recommend to grow peppers beyond the classic bell peppers, which are also great when homegrown and come in a variety of sizes including the extra-early Chocolate Bell Pepper, but there are a ton of specialty sweet peppers from around the world that will wow your tastebuds and be very useful in the kitchen for all sorts of recipes. Whether you want sweet peppers to add to stir fries, burritos, sauces, or to pickle, marinate, roas...
Ten great peppers for pots in small spaces!
Peppers are a great vegetable to grow on a patio, deck or sunny balcony. So if you don't have a lot of space, you can still grow some peppers! Some people even grow them under lights indoors, year-round! Above are Fire and Ice peppers growing in a glorious blue ceramic pot – this variety is perfect for patio containers as it really looks like fire at the end of the season with colorful yellow to orange to red peppers growing upwards. Most peppers grow great in pots and containers – and ca...
Tomato spotted wilt virus - mottled tomatoes
The above photo of some wild looking mottled tomatoes is damage most likely caused by the Tomato spotted wilt virus. Plants infected with Tomato spotted wilt virus exhibit bronzing of the upper sides of young leaves, which later develop distinct, necrotic mottled spots. It looks wild, but it usually results in a less tasty tomato though it is still safe to eat if it doesn't taste too bad. This viral disease is infectious to many other plants including peppers, so it's best to remove ...
Pickle Recipes
We love pickles and make them out of a lot of our cucumbers and hot peppers.like Cascabellas and Jalapenos and other Wax Peppers. Pickled peppers are delicious, we like to leave out the sugar and use hot peppers for a nice vinegary punch of heat and flavor anytime we feel like a snack. And spicy cucumber pickles are another perfect snack or side or topper for a sandwich or burger! If you don't have a huge harvest, make refrigerator pickles which are crunchier and they keep in the fridge f...
NEW SEEDS FOR 2025
WE HAVE NEW SEEDS ARRIVING! We are excited to announce the addition of new seeds to our mid-season lineup.New seeds now available: Gypsy Sweet Pepper This super fast growing sweet pepper has a fantastic sweet flavor and is never bitter like a bell pepper can be. The plants produce an unbelievable amount of fruit all season that you can enjoy early at the yellow-green stage or wait until they fully ripen to orange-red. Sun Gold F1 TomatoThese bright golden orange tomatoes have a sweet, juicy,...
Seeds to plant in January
Can you plant seeds in January? Yes, because for us gardeners, it's hard to resist waiting! And there is no reason to wait. That said, in most growing regions, starting seeds outside in January isn't realistic (at least without cover, read more about that lower below.) In growing regions with cold winters, the ground is usually frozen or covered in snow, and ongoing frosts are imminent. But there are some cool weather veggies that can be started outdoors under cover, and you can start...
