Organic Control for Tomato Hornworms on PeppersTomato Hornworms are really big green caterpillars that can devastate your pepper garden. Giant brown moths lay pearl-like eggs on your pepper leaves, from which the monsters will hatch and start to eat voraciously. They can decimate all the leaves on a plant overnight. The best organic control might be picking the caterpillars off the plants, but by then it could be too late to save your plants. Also, touching and pulling them off is gross, but depending on how mad you are, you won’t mind! ...
Grow the Biggest PeppersWondering how to grow the biggest peppers? What is the trick to growing larger peppers? First, start off with the largest pepper varieties, such as the Legacy Big Jim chile – this giant is the Guinness Book of World Record holder for being the largest chile pepper in the world! These New Mexican chiles have great flavor, thick flesh, and mild to medium heat with 2,000 - 4,000 Scovilles. These chile giants can grow up to 14" in length, but typically range from 8-10". While pod size...
Why grow your own vegetables?Why do some people prefer growing food themselves?Why grow vegetables vs just buying them at the store?Why is it better to grow your own produce?There are many reasons that people love growing their own vegetables! For one, they just taste better. And, it's just so rewarding to pick food from your garden that you grew from seed! But there are many benefits, here are a few more reasons that people love growing their own vegetables: Homegrown vegetables taste better! Fresh Nutrition &...
How to grow more peppersTo 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,...
Pepper Growing for BeginnersA customer just asked us about his seedlings that were just starting to popup. He's a beginner and was wondering if he should keep the humidity dome on them if not all the seeds had sprouted yet, and when he should fertilize. Here's our quick answer: Don't keep a humidity dome over your peppers after they germinate as that can cause damping off and other problems. The rest should still mostly sprout if kept moist. You can also move the ones that haven't germinated under a h...
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...
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...
What seed company is not owned by Monsanto?Sandia Seed company is NOT owned by Monsanto (now owned by Bayer.) We are a small woman-owned seed company based in Castle Rock, Colorado. We only sell non-gmo, untreated seeds. We have signed and support the Seed Integrity Pledge. As signers, we pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants. We wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically diverse agricultural ecosystems and ultimately healthier people and communities. ...
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...
Container Salsa GardenGrow your own Container Salsa Garden! Salsa garden plants generally include Tomatoes, Hot Peppers, Cilantro, and Onions. These are your basics – but you can really vary it up with different types of tomatoes and hot peppers. Best Tomatoes to grow for Salsa Our wide variety of Heirloom and Hybrid Tomato seeds can be grown in your potted container garden to create a wide range of colorful salsas. Classic salsa is often make with Roma Tomatoes, such as San Marzano Tomatoes. The flesh is much th...
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...
How to grow hot peppers: The best advice from pepper growersWhat is the best hot pepper growing advice you have ever received? Just go for it! Some people just don't try. Grow some of the fastest growing peppers to start, as they are easier to germinate and you get to harvest them much sooner than some other varieties such as many of the super hot peppers. These fast growing peppers are also great for short season gardening – so you can get plenty of peppers before your first frost. Start Seeds Indoors: We recommend starting hot pepper seeds ...
How to Transplant Pepper PlantsHow to Transplant Pepper Plants Whether you started your own pepper seeds, or if you're transplanting peppers from the garden center, here are our top tips for best success. Transplanting peppers is a simple process, though there are a few tricks to help your pepper transplants thrive. 1. Make sure to harden off your seedlings first! This simply means to bring indoor-started pepper plants outside and expose them to the sun gradually. This will help avoid transplant shock. 2. Create Labe...
Happy June Gardening!It's June 1st, but it's not too late to plant zucchini seeds! Our Summer Squash Black Beauty Zucchini produces a huge crop of tender zucchini squash during the summer - and they are super fast growing, they start to harvest in 55 days! We direct sow the seeds in mounds in the garden, zucchini plants grow fast and don't like to get root bound, so starting them indoors is unnecessary. It's June...Is it too late to plant seeds? There are plenty of other veggies that you can p...
Problems growing carrots?We used to have trouble growing carrots, specifically with sowing carrot seeds, likely because we did not keep them consistently moist during their germination period. Carrot seeds not germinating? Carrot seeds can be planted directly into the garden soil and are easy to grow. But there is a secret to growing carrots and getting the seeds to germinate. If you have problems with carrots in your garden (or at least starting the seeds), use the Carrot Board Trick: For best results, sow car...
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 ...
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!
Organic Control for Tomato Hornworms on Peppers
Tomato Hornworms are really big green caterpillars that can devastate your pepper garden. Giant brown moths lay pearl-like eggs on your pepper leaves, from which the monsters will hatch and start to eat voraciously. They can decimate all the leaves on a plant overnight. The best organic control might be picking the caterpillars off the plants, but by then it could be too late to save your plants. Also, touching and pulling them off is gross, but depending on how mad you are, you won’t mind! ...
Grow the Biggest Peppers
Wondering how to grow the biggest peppers? What is the trick to growing larger peppers? First, start off with the largest pepper varieties, such as the Legacy Big Jim chile – this giant is the Guinness Book of World Record holder for being the largest chile pepper in the world! These New Mexican chiles have great flavor, thick flesh, and mild to medium heat with 2,000 - 4,000 Scovilles. These chile giants can grow up to 14" in length, but typically range from 8-10". While pod size...
Why grow your own vegetables?
Why do some people prefer growing food themselves?Why grow vegetables vs just buying them at the store?Why is it better to grow your own produce?There are many reasons that people love growing their own vegetables! For one, they just taste better. And, it's just so rewarding to pick food from your garden that you grew from seed! But there are many benefits, here are a few more reasons that people love growing their own vegetables: Homegrown vegetables taste better! Fresh Nutrition &...
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,...
Pepper Growing for Beginners
A customer just asked us about his seedlings that were just starting to popup. He's a beginner and was wondering if he should keep the humidity dome on them if not all the seeds had sprouted yet, and when he should fertilize. Here's our quick answer: Don't keep a humidity dome over your peppers after they germinate as that can cause damping off and other problems. The rest should still mostly sprout if kept moist. You can also move the ones that haven't germinated under a h...
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...
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...
What seed company is not owned by Monsanto?
Sandia Seed company is NOT owned by Monsanto (now owned by Bayer.) We are a small woman-owned seed company based in Castle Rock, Colorado. We only sell non-gmo, untreated seeds. We have signed and support the Seed Integrity Pledge. As signers, we pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants. We wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically diverse agricultural ecosystems and ultimately healthier people and communities. ...
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...
Container Salsa Garden
Grow your own Container Salsa Garden! Salsa garden plants generally include Tomatoes, Hot Peppers, Cilantro, and Onions. These are your basics – but you can really vary it up with different types of tomatoes and hot peppers. Best Tomatoes to grow for Salsa Our wide variety of Heirloom and Hybrid Tomato seeds can be grown in your potted container garden to create a wide range of colorful salsas. Classic salsa is often make with Roma Tomatoes, such as San Marzano Tomatoes. The flesh is much th...
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...
How to grow hot peppers: The best advice from pepper growers
What is the best hot pepper growing advice you have ever received? Just go for it! Some people just don't try. Grow some of the fastest growing peppers to start, as they are easier to germinate and you get to harvest them much sooner than some other varieties such as many of the super hot peppers. These fast growing peppers are also great for short season gardening – so you can get plenty of peppers before your first frost. Start Seeds Indoors: We recommend starting hot pepper seeds ...
How to Transplant Pepper Plants
How to Transplant Pepper Plants Whether you started your own pepper seeds, or if you're transplanting peppers from the garden center, here are our top tips for best success. Transplanting peppers is a simple process, though there are a few tricks to help your pepper transplants thrive. 1. Make sure to harden off your seedlings first! This simply means to bring indoor-started pepper plants outside and expose them to the sun gradually. This will help avoid transplant shock. 2. Create Labe...
Happy June Gardening!
It's June 1st, but it's not too late to plant zucchini seeds! Our Summer Squash Black Beauty Zucchini produces a huge crop of tender zucchini squash during the summer - and they are super fast growing, they start to harvest in 55 days! We direct sow the seeds in mounds in the garden, zucchini plants grow fast and don't like to get root bound, so starting them indoors is unnecessary. It's June...Is it too late to plant seeds? There are plenty of other veggies that you can p...
Problems growing carrots?
We used to have trouble growing carrots, specifically with sowing carrot seeds, likely because we did not keep them consistently moist during their germination period. Carrot seeds not germinating? Carrot seeds can be planted directly into the garden soil and are easy to grow. But there is a secret to growing carrots and getting the seeds to germinate. If you have problems with carrots in your garden (or at least starting the seeds), use the Carrot Board Trick: For best results, sow car...
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 ...
