Is it too late to plant tomato seeds?Is it too late to start tomatoes? Definitely not. You can plant tomato seeds anytime in the spring. Many people around here don’t sow them until April or May, as they are fast germinators and fast growers. We find they often do even better when they are planted in the ground when they're younger (after it warms up and all chance of frost has passed, of course). We are in the West, so we typically start our Tomato seeds in late in April or early May. How early you start them depends on ho...
Companion Plants for Tomatoes and PeppersThere are a lot of great companion plants that you can pair with tomatoes and peppers in the garden. If you have a small space, companion planting other vegetables and herbs is a great way to get more harvest out of your garden! Can you plant peppers and tomatoes together? While it is said you should plant them apart because they do share pests and diseases and can compete for the same nutrients, often times gardeners just don't have much room in a home garden so we plant peppers and to...
Top 5 Tomatoes to grow in 2025We picked our top favorite 5 tomatoes to grow in 2025 for fresh eating, salads, sandwiches, salsas, sauces, and so much more: #1 Sun Gold Tomato These bright golden orange tomatoes have a sweet, juicy, tropical flavor. They are always a big hit with everyone that who tastes them. The vigorous vines produce an abundance of tomatoes growing on long 10-15 fruit grape-like trusses. This is our favorite cherry tomato and best producer. Most of these tomatoes are eaten before they get out of the g...
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, in January the ground is often frozen or covered in snow, and ongoing frosts are imminent. But there are some cool weather veggies that can be started outdoors, or under cover, and ...
Growing Tomatoes in PotsWant to grow more tomatoes but don't have room? Then grow tomatoes in pots! We do recommend larger pots – half whiskey barrels or pots of that size are best for most regular tomatoes. If you're using grow bags, a 20 gallon or more grow bags or 20 inch deep and wide pots or larger is best for most tomato varieties. Make sure to place them in full sun and provide support for them as they grow taller.That said, you can also grow tomatoes in smaller pots... read on... What type of tomat...
Best place to buy Pepper SeedsIf you're looking for the best place to buy pepper seeds, look no further than Sandia Seed! We have seeds or over 101 peppers of the world that you can grow in your garden. Every year we offer new pepper seeds to keep our selection new so you can always grow something new in your garden! Peppers offer so much color, flavor and heat – there's a pepper for everyone from sweet to super hot! Our seeds are all tested for germination, and they will grow true to the variety. We specialize ...
2026 Seed Catalog - Peppers of the WorldWe are so excited for our new 2026 Seed Catalog, packed with peppers, tomatoes, veggies and lots of recipes, growing tips and pepper growing info. Check out what we have coming in our newest Seed Catalog! Our seed catalog has 36 pages of colorful photos and info that is a great coffee or dinner table companion, and can be used in the kitchen, too! Dream up next season's vegetable garden with over 100 peppers and tons of tomatoes and vegetables to grow to have a variety of delicious harve...
How to get Tomatoes to Ripen on the VineWondering how to get tomatoes to ripen on the vine? Did you know that picking ripe (or near ripe) tomatoes on your plants can speed up ripening of the the remaining tomatoes on the plant? It's true. Picking tomatoes (and peppers for that matter) can encourage the plant to ripen the remaining fruits faster. With tomatoes (and most peppers, too), you can pick them when they are partially ripe, so as the tomatoes turn halfway to their final color but aren't the full ripe color yet. If y...
What Seeds to Plant in June - Companion Plants!Wondering what seeds you should plant in June? It's not too late to start your garden! June is a great time to plant companion plants with your peppers, tomatoes and other veggies. There is a great range of seeds to choose from that you can plant in June including cilantro, squash, cucumbers, nasturtium, lettuce, basil, and many more. Read about them below... Cilantro - great for salsas, and the flowers attract lots of beneficial insects and produce more seeds (also known as Corian...
Seeds to Plant in May - Direct SowingA summer squash above was direct seeded in mounds in May at a community garden in Denver. Squash is best direct sown as it doesn't like to have it's roots disturbed, so we generally plant it directly in the garden in May and June. Is May too late to direct sow seeds? Answer: Nope! May is a great time to direct sow many seeds in most growing regions in most of the Northern Hemisphere! May marks the transition from spring to summer in many regions, and the days are super long in M...
Best Tomatoes for Salsa - Grow from seeds!The best tomatoes for salsa include a wide range of tomato varieties. Don't limit yourself to just one kind of tomato for your salsa! Often, fresh chopped tomato salsas like pico-de-gallo are made with firm, fleshy tomatoes such as San Marzanos or Roma Tomatoes. However, this is because those are the types that you can find in the stores. But that doesn't mean they are the only (or best) tomatoes for salsa! Good heirloom tomatoes are not often available at the grocery store. But you ...
What can I plant in April?Spinach, shown above, is a great seed to direct sow in your garden in April. Of course, what you can plant in April depends on your growing region! Here in the front range of Colorado in growing zone 5b, our last frost is usually in mid-to-late-May. Indoors, we can start lots of warm weather veggie seeds under lights like pepper seeds, tomato seeds, basil seeds, eggplant seeds in April. Outside, we can start seeds for Lettuce, Spinach, Beets, Carrots, Radishes, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cilantro, Or...
Hot Sauce Ingredient IdeasHot Sauces are made from lots of ingredients beyond just hot peppers! Many recipes include fruit, juice (lime, lemon), different types of vinegar, ginger, mustard seeds, carrots, garlic, onions and other ingredients to add more flavor and thicken or extend sauces. It's fun to grow many of your own hot sauce ingredients in your garden for the freshest flavors. Hot sauce is a great way to preserve your harvest for year-round use. Grow your own Hot Sauce Garden and make your own hot sauce t...
Tomato Sauce & other Tomato Recipes: Sauces, Salads, Salsas & MoreIf you're looking for tomato recipes, we have you covered! Next to chiles, tomatoes are our favorite vegetable garden pick! Like peppers, tomatoes come in a huge variety of different flavors, sizes and colors. And heirloom tomatoes offer some of the most exceptional flavor on the planet! Here are some of our favorite recipes that will use your delicious tomato harvest: Tomato Sauces Make these two sauces below to use for making dishes like lasagna, pasta, and pizza. Homemade sauce has ex...
Caprese Salad RecipeA Caprese salad is one of the best things summer has to offer! It's a simple and delicious way to make use of all those tomatoes and basil that are abundant in the garden in mid-to-late summer. Just add fresh mozzarella, and a balsamic vinegar & maple syrup glaze and you're in for a treat! This is a great recipe to bring to summer parties and picnics, as it is so colorful & fresh and travels well. Make a lot, as it won't last long! Ingredients: Heirloom Tomatoes, sliced ...
Best Tomatoes for SauceGrow the best Sauce Tomatoes! If you love growing tomatoes to make your own sauce, we have some of our top recommendations for great tomato varieties to grow that will be bountiful and have nice meaty flesh that make beautifully thick tomato and marinara sauces. Of course, don't stop at this list below, all tomatoes can make an amazing sauce!!We'll start out with the classic tomatoes that are known for using for tomato sauce, which include Romas and Marzanos: San Marzano Roma Tom...
Seed Shipping to Canada Resumed!Hey, good news! We're able to ship to Canada once again! 🙂🇨🇦 Lots of our customers are from Canada, and they love growing our New Mexico Chile varieties as well as other peppers of the world! We also have some of the best vegetables to grow in Canada that thrive in cooler weather and shorter growing seasons, making them ideal for the country's climates. These include leafy greens including lettuce or spinach, root vegetables including beets and carrots, plus peas, radishes, cabbages, ...
Growing Peppers in ColoradoThere are many different growing zones in Colorado, and you can grow peppers in any areas that you can grow tomatoes and other veggies! For Colorado gardeners, starting peppers indoors is a must with short season gardening, we recommend starting your pepper seeds at least 6-8 weeks before mid-to-late May when you will transplant them into the garden. Use a seedling heat mat to keep the pepper seeds warm during germination, they like to germinate around 80˚F! Choose short season peppers for...
Seeds to Sow in August for a Fall HarvestIt's not too late to sow more seeds and enjoy more food from your garden this season. August is a great time to plant fall crops so that you can enjoy and preserve the abundance before winter arrives. Seeds to Sow in August for a bountiful Fall Harvest Bush Beans - Ready in just 50 days!, bush beans are the perfect pairing with tomatoes or peppers, you can easily tuck in these fast growing edible plants in your garden. Beans are great companion plants and they also boost the soil nut...
Companion Plants for Tomatoes and Peppers
There are a lot of great companion plants that you can pair with tomatoes and peppers in the garden. If you have a small space, companion planting other vegetables and herbs is a great way to get more harvest out of your garden! Can you plant peppers and tomatoes together? While it is said you should plant them apart because they do share pests and diseases and can compete for the same nutrients, often times gardeners just don't have much room in a home garden so we plant peppers and to...
Top 5 Tomatoes to grow in 2025
We picked our top favorite 5 tomatoes to grow in 2025 for fresh eating, salads, sandwiches, salsas, sauces, and so much more: #1 Sun Gold Tomato These bright golden orange tomatoes have a sweet, juicy, tropical flavor. They are always a big hit with everyone that who tastes them. The vigorous vines produce an abundance of tomatoes growing on long 10-15 fruit grape-like trusses. This is our favorite cherry tomato and best producer. Most of these tomatoes are eaten before they get out of the g...
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, in January the ground is often frozen or covered in snow, and ongoing frosts are imminent. But there are some cool weather veggies that can be started outdoors, or under cover, and ...
Growing Tomatoes in Pots
Want to grow more tomatoes but don't have room? Then grow tomatoes in pots! We do recommend larger pots – half whiskey barrels or pots of that size are best for most regular tomatoes. If you're using grow bags, a 20 gallon or more grow bags or 20 inch deep and wide pots or larger is best for most tomato varieties. Make sure to place them in full sun and provide support for them as they grow taller.That said, you can also grow tomatoes in smaller pots... read on... What type of tomat...
Best place to buy Pepper Seeds
If you're looking for the best place to buy pepper seeds, look no further than Sandia Seed! We have seeds or over 101 peppers of the world that you can grow in your garden. Every year we offer new pepper seeds to keep our selection new so you can always grow something new in your garden! Peppers offer so much color, flavor and heat – there's a pepper for everyone from sweet to super hot! Our seeds are all tested for germination, and they will grow true to the variety. We specialize ...
2026 Seed Catalog - Peppers of the World
We are so excited for our new 2026 Seed Catalog, packed with peppers, tomatoes, veggies and lots of recipes, growing tips and pepper growing info. Check out what we have coming in our newest Seed Catalog! Our seed catalog has 36 pages of colorful photos and info that is a great coffee or dinner table companion, and can be used in the kitchen, too! Dream up next season's vegetable garden with over 100 peppers and tons of tomatoes and vegetables to grow to have a variety of delicious harve...
How to get Tomatoes to Ripen on the Vine
Wondering how to get tomatoes to ripen on the vine? Did you know that picking ripe (or near ripe) tomatoes on your plants can speed up ripening of the the remaining tomatoes on the plant? It's true. Picking tomatoes (and peppers for that matter) can encourage the plant to ripen the remaining fruits faster. With tomatoes (and most peppers, too), you can pick them when they are partially ripe, so as the tomatoes turn halfway to their final color but aren't the full ripe color yet. If y...
What Seeds to Plant in June - Companion Plants!
Wondering what seeds you should plant in June? It's not too late to start your garden! June is a great time to plant companion plants with your peppers, tomatoes and other veggies. There is a great range of seeds to choose from that you can plant in June including cilantro, squash, cucumbers, nasturtium, lettuce, basil, and many more. Read about them below... Cilantro - great for salsas, and the flowers attract lots of beneficial insects and produce more seeds (also known as Corian...
Seeds to Plant in May - Direct Sowing
A summer squash above was direct seeded in mounds in May at a community garden in Denver. Squash is best direct sown as it doesn't like to have it's roots disturbed, so we generally plant it directly in the garden in May and June. Is May too late to direct sow seeds? Answer: Nope! May is a great time to direct sow many seeds in most growing regions in most of the Northern Hemisphere! May marks the transition from spring to summer in many regions, and the days are super long in M...
Best Tomatoes for Salsa - Grow from seeds!
The best tomatoes for salsa include a wide range of tomato varieties. Don't limit yourself to just one kind of tomato for your salsa! Often, fresh chopped tomato salsas like pico-de-gallo are made with firm, fleshy tomatoes such as San Marzanos or Roma Tomatoes. However, this is because those are the types that you can find in the stores. But that doesn't mean they are the only (or best) tomatoes for salsa! Good heirloom tomatoes are not often available at the grocery store. But you ...
What can I plant in April?
Spinach, shown above, is a great seed to direct sow in your garden in April. Of course, what you can plant in April depends on your growing region! Here in the front range of Colorado in growing zone 5b, our last frost is usually in mid-to-late-May. Indoors, we can start lots of warm weather veggie seeds under lights like pepper seeds, tomato seeds, basil seeds, eggplant seeds in April. Outside, we can start seeds for Lettuce, Spinach, Beets, Carrots, Radishes, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cilantro, Or...
Hot Sauce Ingredient Ideas
Hot Sauces are made from lots of ingredients beyond just hot peppers! Many recipes include fruit, juice (lime, lemon), different types of vinegar, ginger, mustard seeds, carrots, garlic, onions and other ingredients to add more flavor and thicken or extend sauces. It's fun to grow many of your own hot sauce ingredients in your garden for the freshest flavors. Hot sauce is a great way to preserve your harvest for year-round use. Grow your own Hot Sauce Garden and make your own hot sauce t...
Tomato Sauce & other Tomato Recipes: Sauces, Salads, Salsas & More
If you're looking for tomato recipes, we have you covered! Next to chiles, tomatoes are our favorite vegetable garden pick! Like peppers, tomatoes come in a huge variety of different flavors, sizes and colors. And heirloom tomatoes offer some of the most exceptional flavor on the planet! Here are some of our favorite recipes that will use your delicious tomato harvest: Tomato Sauces Make these two sauces below to use for making dishes like lasagna, pasta, and pizza. Homemade sauce has ex...
Caprese Salad Recipe
A Caprese salad is one of the best things summer has to offer! It's a simple and delicious way to make use of all those tomatoes and basil that are abundant in the garden in mid-to-late summer. Just add fresh mozzarella, and a balsamic vinegar & maple syrup glaze and you're in for a treat! This is a great recipe to bring to summer parties and picnics, as it is so colorful & fresh and travels well. Make a lot, as it won't last long! Ingredients: Heirloom Tomatoes, sliced ...
Best Tomatoes for Sauce
Grow the best Sauce Tomatoes! If you love growing tomatoes to make your own sauce, we have some of our top recommendations for great tomato varieties to grow that will be bountiful and have nice meaty flesh that make beautifully thick tomato and marinara sauces. Of course, don't stop at this list below, all tomatoes can make an amazing sauce!!We'll start out with the classic tomatoes that are known for using for tomato sauce, which include Romas and Marzanos: San Marzano Roma Tom...
Seed Shipping to Canada Resumed!
Hey, good news! We're able to ship to Canada once again! 🙂🇨🇦 Lots of our customers are from Canada, and they love growing our New Mexico Chile varieties as well as other peppers of the world! We also have some of the best vegetables to grow in Canada that thrive in cooler weather and shorter growing seasons, making them ideal for the country's climates. These include leafy greens including lettuce or spinach, root vegetables including beets and carrots, plus peas, radishes, cabbages, ...
Growing Peppers in Colorado
There are many different growing zones in Colorado, and you can grow peppers in any areas that you can grow tomatoes and other veggies! For Colorado gardeners, starting peppers indoors is a must with short season gardening, we recommend starting your pepper seeds at least 6-8 weeks before mid-to-late May when you will transplant them into the garden. Use a seedling heat mat to keep the pepper seeds warm during germination, they like to germinate around 80˚F! Choose short season peppers for...
Seeds to Sow in August for a Fall Harvest
It's not too late to sow more seeds and enjoy more food from your garden this season. August is a great time to plant fall crops so that you can enjoy and preserve the abundance before winter arrives. Seeds to Sow in August for a bountiful Fall Harvest Bush Beans - Ready in just 50 days!, bush beans are the perfect pairing with tomatoes or peppers, you can easily tuck in these fast growing edible plants in your garden. Beans are great companion plants and they also boost the soil nut...
