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  1. Pepper Plant has Flowers but No Peppers When a pepper plant has flowers but no peppers it could be because of a lack of fertilization or extreme temperatures. If it is too hot (over 95˚ F) or too cold (under 50˚ F) peppers plants will often drop their flowers. Or if the flowers are not dropping off, it could simply be that you just need to wait longer for peppers to develop.Sometimes if a pepper plant is over-fertilized with nitrogen later in the season, it will put all it's energy into growing more leaves but not blossoms, so ...
  2. I have flowers on my pepper but no peppers! Do your pepper plants have flowers but no peppers? This could be for a variety of reasons: Hot or Cold Weather: Temperatures – Peppers can be fussy when it comes to temperatures, they don't like it too cold or too hot! Peppers fruit best during daily temperatures between 70-80 °F. (Peppers don't like temperatures below 60˚ F and won't likely produce much if too cold – except for these special cool-weather loving peppers). If it's getting into the 90˚ F temperatures, your pep...
  3. Plant Flowers for more Peppers! If you grow lots of peppers from seeds like we do, you probably are excited for the coming harvest! In addition to growing peppers, we also love to grow lots of other herbs and vegetables. We especially love to have lots of flowers to bring in bees for pollination as well as other beneficial insects to help protect our chiles and other veggies from pests. Plus, flowers bring beauty and joy to every garden! Great plants to include in your garden include perennial flowers & shrubs, and ann...
  4. Pepper Plant Companions Wondering what to plant with your chile peppers to help them thrive? Flowers, chives, carrots, radishes, squash, basil, parsley, dill, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, cucumbers, eggplant, and onions all do well when grown in close proximity to peppers. But don't plant them too close that they will shade your pepper plants: Squash and cucumbers, for example, need ample space so we plant them at least 3-4' away from our pepper patch. You can also use trellises for your cucumbers to grow th...
  5. Bird Seed Garden: Sunflower, Echinacea and Hot Peppers! Bird Seed Garden: Sunflowers attract Goldfinches! Grow your own Bird Seed Garden to produce organic bird seed with sunflowers or Echinacea flowers – plus you can grow some super hot peppers to help keep the squirrels and rodents away from your seed mix! What kind of seeds are in bird seed? There are a lot of different kinds of seeds marketed as bird seed from the stores, many include seeds for millet, safflower, and cracked corn – and of course sunflower seeds. We've found that most bir...
  6. Eat the weeds: Dandelion Quesadilla Recipe Eat the weeds! Weeds are a great source of food. In fact, many of them, like Dandelions, were brought over to North America to be used as food. Early Romans documented eating dandelions and European settlers who came to America purposely brought dandelions with them to the new world for their high nutritional value, medicinal properties, and versatility as a food source. So don't nuke them with pesticides, eat them! Just make sure that you are picking only dandelions that have not been s...
  7. Trap Crops: Overwintered Cabbage acts as a Beneficial Insect Nursery What is a trap crop? A trap crop is a sacrificial plant species, or a specific variety, planted strategically to attract insects and pests away from other crops. Attract & Support Beneficial Insects with Overwintered Brassicas: Did you know that overwintered cabbage and other brassicas like broccoli and kale can act as a trap crop and a nursery for beneficial insects? Brassicas will attract pests, especially aphids when they go into flowering mode at the end of the season, and when left i...
  8. Stop Fighting Cilantro It's time to stop fighting cilantro. Cilantro has a mind of its own: sometimes it will thrive and grow lush in one area while in other areas it quickly bolts and doesn't produce many leaves. It's important to know that cilantro LIKES to flower, no matter if you get the so-called "slow-bolt" varieties or not. If it starts flowering, don't worry, the blooms smell and taste delicious as well, you can even eat the unripe green seed pods, they have a great fresh flavor. ...
  9. Beginner‑Friendly Hot Peppers At Sandia Seed we LOVE peppers, and we enjoy helping people grow their own peppers from seed! We think some of the best peppers for beginners to grow are the fastest growing peppers, including Jalapeños, Green Chiles, and Serranos. Why? Because they germinate fast, grow quickly, and produce a lot of peppers for a longer season so beginners are more likely to have success! And who doesn't like MORE peppers? Beginner's and experts alike will like all of these peppers we mention below. ...
  10. Benefits of Gardening Gardening offers a wide range of benefits including: Nutritious Food & Improved Diet: Freshly harvested vegetables have more nutrients than those that have traveled miles and days/weeks to get to the store. Your tastebuds know it too: a homegrown heirloom tomato always tastes way more amazing and complex than any store-bought tomatoes, especially when fresh-picked and still warm from the sun. When you garden, you can grow specialty peppers that are packed with flavor that you'd neve...
  11. Herbs for Partial Shade Our Herb Garden Seed Bundle, shown above, includes all the herbs you need for a partially shaded herb garden! Best Herbs for Partial Shade Grow more food in your garden with a variety of annual and perennial herbs to expand your growing season and harvest! There are plenty of herbs that grow in partial shade. Herbs that can grow in partial shade (3-6 hours of sun) include cilantro, parsley, garlic chives, and oregano. These are all more cold-tolerant herbs that grow great in early spring, and...
  12. Low Water Vegetables Wondering what are the best low water vegetables to grow? Here are a few of our suggestions along with tips for conserving water in your garden. #1 Favorite Low Water Vegetables: Peppers* Peppers need less water than many other vegetables. As tropical plants, they thrive in warm, well-draining soil and don't mind it drying out slightly between watering. The famous New Mexico Chiles are grown annually in the dry regions of Hatch Valley and Chimayó regions of New Mexico, and the Pueblo Ch...
  13. Easy Seeds to Plant Chiles are awesome, but don't stop there! There are plenty of easy seeds to plant in your garden that will round out your dinner table. We'll mention Pozole a lot below... that's because it's so delicious! Pozole is a traditional, hearty Mexican stew made with hominy (large, dried corn kernels) and meat, typically it is made with pork or chicken but we make it vegetarian with potatoes/sweet potatoes/squash or other veggies, all cooked in a flavorful broth. It comes in three m...
  14. Best Seed Catalog Discover the Best Seed Catalog! Grow Peppers of the World with Sandia Seed! Our Sandia Seed catalog is widely considered one of the best seed catalogs for pepper lovers and Southwestern-style gardens, especially if the gardener enjoys chiles, hot peppers, and New Mexico–style vegetables. It stands out for its beautiful design, huge pepper selection, and practical growing info, making it both a useful tool and a fun gift. View our full online seed catalog to see every seed featured in our prin...
  15. Hatch Chile Seeds: From Planting to Harvest Introduction to growing Hatch Chile Seeds Growing your own delicious Hatch chile peppers from seeds is a rewarding experience, whether you're a seasoned gardener or a beginner. These flavorful peppers, originating from New Mexico's Hatch Valley, are beloved for their versatility in dishes like stews, salsas, and chile rellenos. With the right care, you can cultivate a thriving crop of Hatch chiles in your garden, ranging from mild to fiery hot. You don't have to be in Hatch, NM to...
  16. 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...
  17. How to grow more peppers To increase your pepper plant harvests, it is important to provide optimal growing conditions, such as in full sun and warm temperatures, plus good, loamy soil with lots of organic matter. Providing a balanced fertilizer, ideally organic, is also good for continued support of growth. Here are more tips on growing more peppers: 1. Choose Productive Pepper Varieties: Pick the fastest growing peppers to ensure a long, productive harvest. While all peppers will eventually produce a ton of pods...
  18. 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...
  19. 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...
  20. Edible Nasturtium for your Vegetable Garden Nasturtium flowers are beautiful and add artistic flair to your vegetable garden! Plus, the leaves and flowers are edible – they are tasty and a bit spicy, their peppery flavor tastes great when added to salads or as a garnish on any dish. Easy to grow from seeds, direct sow them! They have beautiful edible flowers, leaves and seed pods. Nasturtiums are also a great companion plant for peppers and tomatoes as they attract beneficial insects and deter some pests in the garden. They are ...