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...
Why are my tomatoes rotten on the bottom?A common question we get from people who grow tomatoes is “Why are my tomatoes rotten on the bottom?”When tomatoes “rot” on the vine, specifically if they have a brown or black skinned over area that looks like a rotten bottom, this is typically caused by blossom-end rot is caused by insufficient calcium in the tissue of the tomato. Once a tomato develops blossom end rot, it's not fixable – however, you CAN eat the rest of the tomato, we cut off the affected bottom spot, but the rest of t...
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 ...
What Veggies to Plant in MayWondering what seeds you can plant in May for your food garden? May is a great time to direct sow vegetable seeds for summer. While you may have already started seeds for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants indoors 4-8 weeks ago, you likely still have them growing indoors until it has warmed up to 50-60˚F at night consistently. If you haven't started those seeds yet, you could try some of our short season pepper seeds or short season tomato seeds in May as they grow quickly. And of course...
Jalapeno Salsa RecipeA classic, this Jalapeno Salsa Recipe is sure to please all salsa connoisseurs! Jalapeno Salsa Recipe 2-3 cups of chopped Fresh Tomatoes(or a jar or large 28oz can of preserved tomatoes)1 Bunch of fresh Cilantro leaves(use as much as you'd like)1-3+ Jalapenos - any varietyNote: You can also use any fresh or dried hot peppers for this recipe (Santa Fe Grande Peppers, Cayenne Peppers, Habanero Peppers, Thai Hot Peppers, Red Cherry Hot Peppers, Ghost Peppers, you name it!1/2 Onion, Dic...
Vegetable Container GardeningVegetable Container Gardening:The best seeds to grow Even if you don't have a lot of space, vegetable container gardening is possible so you can have your own homegrown veggies and herbs. Starting Seeds for Vegetable Container Gardens: You can start many seeds in a sunny window, or get some inexpensive led or flourescent grow lights and start seeds under the lights to get them growing strong for transplanting into their final containers or pots come spring. The cost of starting your cont...
Discount Seeds: New Tomato Seed Bundle!Check out our latest discount seeds bundle: The Popular Tomato Bundle 4-pack price is 15% off! This tomato collection contains all of our staff's favorites! The bundle includes one packet each of a cherry-size tomato, a slicer, a paste and a beefsteak tomato. All four of these tomatoes are heirlooms, open-pollinated and non-GMO. Perfect for any garden! On a budget and want more deals on seeds?View more of our Discount Seeds » Happy Growing!
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...
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...
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,...
Growing Tomatoes in PotsYes, you can grow tomatoes in pots! But, we do recommend larger pots – half whiskey barrels or pots of that size are best for most regular tomatoes. What type of tomatoes do well in pots? While you can pretty much grow any tomato in a large pot (don't forget to have trellises or obelisks for support), there are also tomato varieties that were bred to be smaller in plant size and do well in pots. You can even grow them with flowers, herbs and/or peppers to have a colorful veggie pot! W...
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...
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 ...
October Gardening Tips1. Harvest your Peppers (and other veggies)! Harvest your peppers and other summer vegetables like tomatoes, squash, zucchini, and eggplants. Did you know you can freeze fresh whole peppers or cored tomatoes for later use? Sometimes that's easier when they come in waves and you're short on time. 2. Make delicious food! If you have time, pickle peppers, make salsa or hot sauce, or any of our other chile recipes. 3. Dry your Peppers: There are so many ways to dry your peppers, it...
I grow your basil seeds every year, they are easy to start from seed and grow into nice bushy plants that we harvest all summer long to use to make caprese salads (when the tomatoes start to ripen), as well as pesto. I like to make a big batch of pesto, then freeze "pucks" of it in a muffin tray to store in a container in the freezer for some summer flavors all winter long. These seeds always have great germination. I also like to let a couple of basil plants bloom as the pollinators love the blooms and they are pretty, too!
Bought the Green Chile Intro - 3-Pack and was able to start indoors the Big Jim Legacy and Sandia Select with a 100% germination rate thanks to the clear instructions provided. As of Mid July in NC zone 7A on the 8 chile plants(6 Big Jim, 2 Sandia) in the garden I have 5-7 large chiles per plant. The smallest chiles are over 7” and I’m already getting another flush of flowers for round 2 of delicious peppers. Highly recommend these chiles!!!
My sister loves gardening, and is quite a seed collector and grower. She'll love all these classic varieties to add to her garden and seed box. Zucchini are an old stand-by, as well as pumpkins, beans, radishes and more. She's never grown spaghetti squash, so that will be a fun addition.
Beautiful, perfect golden tomatoes - very tasty, too!
Perfect looking tomatoes in a golden color with hints of red, they are gorgeous. These Rainbow Tomatoes were definitely the most productive tomatoes of the season last year, so our countertop bowl was filled with their golden deliciousness.
Make sure to use a sturdy tomato cage (not those wirey floppy ones that they most commonly sell!) - we ended up using some wood stakes to create a frame around the plants as they were so huge and loaded with fruit later in the season.
We just planted our seedlings for these this year, looking forward to watching them grow!
Fantastic! I will be ordering from Sandiaseed from now on.
Germination for nearly all of my varieties was 3-5 days (95% - 100% success rate). My varieties include: Red Ghost, Carolina Reaper, Trinidad Scorpion, Devils Tongue, Cayenne Ring of Fire, Habenero Red, Yellow Jamaican, Paprika Numex, and Bolivian Rainbow. Another thing that I really appreciated is that each packet seemed to contain 20% more seeds than indicated (each 10 seed pack contained 12 seeds) - Not sure if that is standard but it was a nice bonus.
I've found that when you combine roasted carrots, habaneros, lime juice and garlic, it will make the best hot sauce of your life. I think it's the sweetness and depth of the carrots that make the sauce even better, and pairs perfectly with the habanero heat. I got the inspiration from one of my favorite store-bought hot sauces, Marie Sharp's Habanero hot sauce. Sometimes I add some of your Chef's orange tomatoes too to make more of it, and they also give more flavor to the hot sauce and help tame the heat a bit. I grow these in my garden every year along with your orange habaneros, orange tomatoes and other hot peppers and veggies. Very reliable.
These fabulous peppers added lots of color to our patio pots. So pretty in multiple colors, plus you can pick them and add to salsa for a nice spicy kick. These are fun in any ornamental edible garden.
We let these hang dry, then ground them up – they made the tastiest pepper flakes. They have a nice kick, but good flavor too. Easy to grow plants, pretty peppers.
Great seeds, good germination, plants grow quickly and produce lots of pods for roasting. Great flavor and just the right amount of spice. We grow these every year in our garden in Utah.
I tried these purple Cherokee seeds on 2024. This is the first time growing these purple Cherokees and were amazed at the ease of germination and taste
These germinated in two days. I started them in midsummer and they fruited by late fall in my zone 10b garden and are overwintering just fine. I’ll have more to harvest by late spring. I made my red sauce for pozole for Christmas with my harvest!
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...
Why are my tomatoes rotten on the bottom?
A common question we get from people who grow tomatoes is “Why are my tomatoes rotten on the bottom?”When tomatoes “rot” on the vine, specifically if they have a brown or black skinned over area that looks like a rotten bottom, this is typically caused by blossom-end rot is caused by insufficient calcium in the tissue of the tomato. Once a tomato develops blossom end rot, it's not fixable – however, you CAN eat the rest of the tomato, we cut off the affected bottom spot, but the rest of t...
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 ...
What Veggies to Plant in May
Wondering what seeds you can plant in May for your food garden? May is a great time to direct sow vegetable seeds for summer. While you may have already started seeds for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants indoors 4-8 weeks ago, you likely still have them growing indoors until it has warmed up to 50-60˚F at night consistently. If you haven't started those seeds yet, you could try some of our short season pepper seeds or short season tomato seeds in May as they grow quickly. And of course...
Jalapeno Salsa Recipe
A classic, this Jalapeno Salsa Recipe is sure to please all salsa connoisseurs! Jalapeno Salsa Recipe 2-3 cups of chopped Fresh Tomatoes(or a jar or large 28oz can of preserved tomatoes)1 Bunch of fresh Cilantro leaves(use as much as you'd like)1-3+ Jalapenos - any varietyNote: You can also use any fresh or dried hot peppers for this recipe (Santa Fe Grande Peppers, Cayenne Peppers, Habanero Peppers, Thai Hot Peppers, Red Cherry Hot Peppers, Ghost Peppers, you name it!1/2 Onion, Dic...
Vegetable Container Gardening
Vegetable Container Gardening:The best seeds to grow Even if you don't have a lot of space, vegetable container gardening is possible so you can have your own homegrown veggies and herbs. Starting Seeds for Vegetable Container Gardens: You can start many seeds in a sunny window, or get some inexpensive led or flourescent grow lights and start seeds under the lights to get them growing strong for transplanting into their final containers or pots come spring. The cost of starting your cont...
Discount Seeds: New Tomato Seed Bundle!
Check out our latest discount seeds bundle: The Popular Tomato Bundle 4-pack price is 15% off! This tomato collection contains all of our staff's favorites! The bundle includes one packet each of a cherry-size tomato, a slicer, a paste and a beefsteak tomato. All four of these tomatoes are heirlooms, open-pollinated and non-GMO. Perfect for any garden! On a budget and want more deals on seeds?View more of our Discount Seeds » Happy Growing!
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...
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...
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,...
Growing Tomatoes in Pots
Yes, you can grow tomatoes in pots! But, we do recommend larger pots – half whiskey barrels or pots of that size are best for most regular tomatoes. What type of tomatoes do well in pots? While you can pretty much grow any tomato in a large pot (don't forget to have trellises or obelisks for support), there are also tomato varieties that were bred to be smaller in plant size and do well in pots. You can even grow them with flowers, herbs and/or peppers to have a colorful veggie pot! W...
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...
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 ...
October Gardening Tips
1. Harvest your Peppers (and other veggies)! Harvest your peppers and other summer vegetables like tomatoes, squash, zucchini, and eggplants. Did you know you can freeze fresh whole peppers or cored tomatoes for later use? Sometimes that's easier when they come in waves and you're short on time. 2. Make delicious food! If you have time, pickle peppers, make salsa or hot sauce, or any of our other chile recipes. 3. Dry your Peppers: There are so many ways to dry your peppers, it...
