How to store cucumbers until you have enough to pickle?Customer question: I finally have cucumbers coming in, with lots more to come this week. What is the best way to store them until Sunday (over 4 days away) when I can pickle them so they stay as crisp/fresh as possible? Thanks for any advice! Here's our advice for storing cucumbers for a few days so they are as fresh as possible when you pickle them: Wash and dry: After you harvest your cucumbers, rinse them gently under cold water and remove any dirt. Pat them dry with a clean towel. M...
When to Plant Cucumber SeedsWondering when to plant cucumber seeds? Well, it's mid-June and it is the perfect time to plant cucumber seeds! You can plant cucumbers seeds after all chance of frost has past, for many areas in the United States that is from May to June, depending on your growing region. As they are fast growing, you could also plant cucumber seeds in June and early July and still have time for a harvest in late summer and fall. We find that they do best when planted directly in the ground. But, if you ...
What is eating my cucumber seedlings?If you've had the problem of direct seeding cucumber seeds in your garden, and they germinate and look great, but then before they even grow true leaves their heads get eaten, leaving just a stem behind? Well, you're not alone. There are a lot of insects and creatures that enjoy cucumber sprouts. They must be tasty! The culprit we think in this case was a cutworm, as we found one curled up nearby in the leaf mulch. To get around this issue, there are a few techniques: Sow seeds i...
2024 Seed CatalogWe're excited to announce our new 2024 Seed Catalog is available! This full color seed catalog is packed with peppers of the world, plus tomato and veggie seeds, too. The seed catalog also has lots of growing tips, recipes, and even a garden plan to help you get growing in 2024! Our 36 page seed catalog is packed with beautiful photos of peppers, recipes, growing tips and of course, tons of pepper and vegetable seeds for your garden!Flip through our 2024 Seed Catalog below featuring all ...
What Seeds to Plant in AugustWondering what to plant in August? In the West, we start seeds for the following vegetables in August:Lettuces, spinach, beets, carrots, green onions, cilantro, basil, bok choy, mizuna, kale, peas, green beans, broccoli, sugar snap peas, radishes and cabbage. Now is a great time to fill in bare spots in your garden or to start seeds to plant into places where cucumbers, basil or other summer veggies are at the end of their production. Vegetables to Plant in August-SeptemberSome of the cool w...
When should I plant my seeds?When should I plant my seeds? This is a great question! The first thing to do is to determine your last average frost date, which you may determine here: almanac.com/gardening/frostdates. Afterward, count back six to eight weeks to start your seeds. Also, consider the first frost date in the fall because the period between your last frost date in the spring and the first frost date in the fall is your growing window. So, note each seed variety's maturity date to ensure you have enough t...
Fastest Growing VegetablesDo you want to grow the Fastest Growing Vegetables? Here are our top suggestions for the fastest growing crops that you can start from seed: Radish – Harvest in 22+ Days!The classic Cherry Bell Radish is super easy to grow and it is one of the fastest growing vegetables you can plant!. Simply direct sow the seeds in fluffy soil, keep them moist and watch them sprout in just 5-7 days depending on soil and weather conditions. They grow quickly into pretty 1" cherry red globes that are cru...
Hail Protection for GardensBest Hail Protection for Gardens If you live in an area that is hail prone, such as the front range of Colorado (also known as hail alley), then you know that you want to protect your garden from hail storms. Don't worry, hail happens – but there are real ways to provide hail protection for your garden. #1 Hail Protection for Garden: “The Classic Hail Protector”An overturned pot. Hail Garden DIY Tip: Yes, something as simple as an overturned bucket or flower pot will help protect your ...
Winter SowingWinter Sowing We just learned about Winter Sowing a couple years ago, it's a wonderful way to start seeds using recycled containers outside! With winter sowing, you don't need room inside to start seeds, you can start them outdoors in the winter/spring months with recycled jugs and other containers. These containers serve as miniature greenhouses that do an incredible job of germinating all sorts of seeds including vegetables, herbs, and native plants. Winter Sowing Seeds in...
What to plant in JanuaryAhhh, the middle of winter! It's just about now that we're excited to start planting seeds for spring. January is a good time to start planning what to plant in your garden if you haven't done it already. Deciding what vegetables to grow each year is part of the fun, though sometimes difficult to narrow down which varieties to grow! With over 100 peppers from around the world plus lots of veggies and tomato seeds, too, our Seed Catalog makes it hard to narrow down the choices! But...
Is it normal for vegetable plants to wilt in the sun?Yes, wilting is normal for vegetable plants on days with hot temperatures and full sun. When it gets super hot from 90-100˚ F days in the Front Range of Colorado, lots of plants in the vegetable garden start drooping and wilting, despite having been watered in the morning. Don't worry, this is normal! (Well, maybe not this crazy heat, but it's normal for plants to wilt on super hot sunny days.) Plants wilting in the sun is common, and it is caused by the plant losing more water throug...
What Seeds to Plant in June - Companion Plants!Wondering what seeds you should plant in June? 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 Coriander) Cherry Belle Radish are super fast gro...
Peppers for PicklingWhat are the best peppers for pickling? What kind of peppers are used in pickling?Most peppers work great for pickling, but some of our favorites for pickling include Wax Peppers such as Banana Peppers, Hot Hungarian Wax Peppers, Sweet Hungarian Wax Peppers, Cascabellas, Sweet Cherry peppers, Hot Cherry Peppers, Fresno peppers, and of course any Jalapeno makes a great pickled pepper. Pickling peppers is a great way to use up a lot of peppers and preserve the harvest! Here are some of our f...
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...
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 ...
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. There are a ton of recipes out there, but here is our easy one, 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+ Blossoms from Pumpkin, Zucchini and Squash (whatever you have)* STUFFING: • 1-2 cups Shredded chee...
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.
How to store cucumbers until you have enough to pickle?
Customer question: I finally have cucumbers coming in, with lots more to come this week. What is the best way to store them until Sunday (over 4 days away) when I can pickle them so they stay as crisp/fresh as possible? Thanks for any advice! Here's our advice for storing cucumbers for a few days so they are as fresh as possible when you pickle them: Wash and dry: After you harvest your cucumbers, rinse them gently under cold water and remove any dirt. Pat them dry with a clean towel. M...
When to Plant Cucumber Seeds
Wondering when to plant cucumber seeds? Well, it's mid-June and it is the perfect time to plant cucumber seeds! You can plant cucumbers seeds after all chance of frost has past, for many areas in the United States that is from May to June, depending on your growing region. As they are fast growing, you could also plant cucumber seeds in June and early July and still have time for a harvest in late summer and fall. We find that they do best when planted directly in the ground. But, if you ...
What is eating my cucumber seedlings?
If you've had the problem of direct seeding cucumber seeds in your garden, and they germinate and look great, but then before they even grow true leaves their heads get eaten, leaving just a stem behind? Well, you're not alone. There are a lot of insects and creatures that enjoy cucumber sprouts. They must be tasty! The culprit we think in this case was a cutworm, as we found one curled up nearby in the leaf mulch. To get around this issue, there are a few techniques: Sow seeds i...
2024 Seed Catalog
We're excited to announce our new 2024 Seed Catalog is available! This full color seed catalog is packed with peppers of the world, plus tomato and veggie seeds, too. The seed catalog also has lots of growing tips, recipes, and even a garden plan to help you get growing in 2024! Our 36 page seed catalog is packed with beautiful photos of peppers, recipes, growing tips and of course, tons of pepper and vegetable seeds for your garden!Flip through our 2024 Seed Catalog below featuring all ...
What Seeds to Plant in August
Wondering what to plant in August? In the West, we start seeds for the following vegetables in August:Lettuces, spinach, beets, carrots, green onions, cilantro, basil, bok choy, mizuna, kale, peas, green beans, broccoli, sugar snap peas, radishes and cabbage. Now is a great time to fill in bare spots in your garden or to start seeds to plant into places where cucumbers, basil or other summer veggies are at the end of their production. Vegetables to Plant in August-SeptemberSome of the cool w...
When should I plant my seeds?
When should I plant my seeds? This is a great question! The first thing to do is to determine your last average frost date, which you may determine here: almanac.com/gardening/frostdates. Afterward, count back six to eight weeks to start your seeds. Also, consider the first frost date in the fall because the period between your last frost date in the spring and the first frost date in the fall is your growing window. So, note each seed variety's maturity date to ensure you have enough t...
Fastest Growing Vegetables
Do you want to grow the Fastest Growing Vegetables? Here are our top suggestions for the fastest growing crops that you can start from seed: Radish – Harvest in 22+ Days!The classic Cherry Bell Radish is super easy to grow and it is one of the fastest growing vegetables you can plant!. Simply direct sow the seeds in fluffy soil, keep them moist and watch them sprout in just 5-7 days depending on soil and weather conditions. They grow quickly into pretty 1" cherry red globes that are cru...
Hail Protection for Gardens
Best Hail Protection for Gardens If you live in an area that is hail prone, such as the front range of Colorado (also known as hail alley), then you know that you want to protect your garden from hail storms. Don't worry, hail happens – but there are real ways to provide hail protection for your garden. #1 Hail Protection for Garden: “The Classic Hail Protector”An overturned pot. Hail Garden DIY Tip: Yes, something as simple as an overturned bucket or flower pot will help protect your ...
Winter Sowing
Winter Sowing We just learned about Winter Sowing a couple years ago, it's a wonderful way to start seeds using recycled containers outside! With winter sowing, you don't need room inside to start seeds, you can start them outdoors in the winter/spring months with recycled jugs and other containers. These containers serve as miniature greenhouses that do an incredible job of germinating all sorts of seeds including vegetables, herbs, and native plants. Winter Sowing Seeds in...
What to plant in January
Ahhh, the middle of winter! It's just about now that we're excited to start planting seeds for spring. January is a good time to start planning what to plant in your garden if you haven't done it already. Deciding what vegetables to grow each year is part of the fun, though sometimes difficult to narrow down which varieties to grow! With over 100 peppers from around the world plus lots of veggies and tomato seeds, too, our Seed Catalog makes it hard to narrow down the choices! But...
Is it normal for vegetable plants to wilt in the sun?
Yes, wilting is normal for vegetable plants on days with hot temperatures and full sun. When it gets super hot from 90-100˚ F days in the Front Range of Colorado, lots of plants in the vegetable garden start drooping and wilting, despite having been watered in the morning. Don't worry, this is normal! (Well, maybe not this crazy heat, but it's normal for plants to wilt on super hot sunny days.) Plants wilting in the sun is common, and it is caused by the plant losing more water throug...
What Seeds to Plant in June - Companion Plants!
Wondering what seeds you should plant in June? 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 Coriander) Cherry Belle Radish are super fast gro...
Peppers for Pickling
What are the best peppers for pickling? What kind of peppers are used in pickling?Most peppers work great for pickling, but some of our favorites for pickling include Wax Peppers such as Banana Peppers, Hot Hungarian Wax Peppers, Sweet Hungarian Wax Peppers, Cascabellas, Sweet Cherry peppers, Hot Cherry Peppers, Fresno peppers, and of course any Jalapeno makes a great pickled pepper. Pickling peppers is a great way to use up a lot of peppers and preserve the harvest! Here are some of our f...
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...
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 ...
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. There are a ton of recipes out there, but here is our easy one, 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+ Blossoms from Pumpkin, Zucchini and Squash (whatever you have)* STUFFING: • 1-2 cups Shredded chee...
