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! ...
Pepper Plant CompanionsWondering 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...
Growing seeds in winter: Winter Sowing in FebruaryCan I winter sow in February? Yes, February is a great time for Winter Sowing in many regions like the West. We usually have to wait until mid-May here in Colorado to bring out indoor-started peppers and tomatoes and other warm weather veggies to harden off and get ready to transplant into the garden. But that doesn't mean you can't start some seeds outdoors despite the freezing weather and snow... because you can Winter Sow! Cool weather veggies, herbs and native plants can do very...
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...
Pepper SeedsPepper Seeds Sandia Seed carries over 100 peppers of the world that you can grow in your garden! Our seeds have very high germination rates and grow into a variety of peppers that are sure to please any pepper lover! We also specialize in New Mexican Chile seeds such as Hatch Chile seeds, Poblano seeds, and other New Mexican favorites.Want sweet, mild, hot or super hot pepper seeds?We got you covered on pepper seeds with every heat level, from no heat at all to wicked hot. Here is a list of o...
Hot Pepper Comic"I'm not sure what the big deal is about Carolina Reapers... They don't have any heat."Hot Pepper Comic featuring the famous Carolina Reaper and a Bird Did you know birds can't feel the heat? In addition to spicing up hot sauce and salsas, some of our pepper seed customers grow our super hot peppers like the Carolina Reaper to dry and add to their seed mixes to discourage squirrels. Birds don't taste the heat but squirrels and other rodents do! Grow your own bird seed...
Gardener Gifts - Top 5 Gift IdeasIf you have a gardener in your life, they will always appreciate new seeds to grow! Seeds make the best gardener gifts and they can be grown, shared, and saved for years to use in the garden. And there are so many different kinds of seeds you can give! Seeds offer a wide range of varieties including:Peppers from around the world- experience the huge range of flavor and heatClassic heirloom tomatoes - that have been grown by generationsHerbs - everyone loves having fresh herbs for the kitchen!...
Spinach SeedsWinter Gardening: Did you know? While you may be starting your pepper seeds indoors in the winter months, did you know that you can also garden outside even in cold winter climates? Spinach is an excellent choice for winter and early spring sowing as it is extremely cold hardy. As the temperature decreases the plant increases the sugar content in its vasculature. This essentially acts as an “anti-freeze” to protect the plant. Growth is greatly slowed by temperature and lack of sunlight durin...
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...
Homemade Chili Powder RecipeHomemade Chili Powder Recipe: ½ C Cumin ½ C Clove ½ C Cayenne 1½ C Paprika 1½ C Dried Pasilla 1½ C Dark Chile Powder 1½ C Light Chile Powder ¼ C Oregano ¼ C Garlic Powder 1 Handful Dried Chile de Arbol 1 Handful Dried Guajillo DIRECTIONS: Bring a medium sauce pan up to heat and quick roast your non-powder chiles until fragrant, this brings out the flavors and will enhance the flavor of your Chile powder. Remove from pan and let cool. Once cool, grind Chiles in blender and transfer to a...
How to grow Tomatillos from SeedHow to grow Tomatillos from Seed Tomatillo seeds are surprisingly easy to start from seed! We simply sow the seeds directly into the ground or in large pots and keep them watered and moist until they sprout. They take off quite quickly, and it's good to thin out the extra seedlings. You can start them indoors, but starting them outdoors can be very successful, too, and requires no transplanting. The seedlings do seem to have some cold-hardiness when very young if started outdoors, but if...
2023 Seed CatalogMake sure to check out our colorful 2023 Seed Catalog that is filled with seeds, recipes and more. We are so proud of our Sandia Seed Seed Catalog that is packed with heirloom seeds and organic seeds for peppers of the world, plus tons of tomato seeds and vegetable seeds, too! The new seed catalog also features new pepper recipes to try with your harvest! Order our Seed Catalog today! Our 2023 Seed Packets & Seed Catalogs are ready to ship! Here's a sneak peak at some of our Seed C...
Jalapeno - Black Seeds?Recent Customer Question: Can you eat a jalapeno that has black seeds? Answer: Yes, as long as you don't see any mold! If peppers have black seeds inside, there are a few reasons this could happen: 1. Immature Seeds If peppers don't fully mature, sometimes you'll see brown or black seeds inside when cut open - or they may look shriveled. These are seeds that simply didn't fully develop.This doesn't mean they are bad, we usually remove and compost the black shriveled seed...
Hot Sauce RecipesHere are some of our favorite hot sauce recipes to make with your abundant hot pepper harvests! Hot sauce is a great way to preserve your peppers and their spiciness for year-round use, and long after the snow starts flying! Nothing beats homegrown, homemade hot sauce. Favorite Hot Sauce Recipes: Easy Hot Sauce »Fermentation Crock Hot Sauce Recipe »Louisiana Hot Sauce Recipe »Roasted Jalapeno Hot Sauce Recipe »Easy Fermented Hot Sauce Recipes »Chocolate, White, Yellow & Red Hot Sa...
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...
How to Grow Green Peppers from SeedsHow to Grow Green Peppers from Seeds 1. Use Fresh SeedsGreen pepper seeds can last up to 25 years in perfect conditions, but using the seeds within 2-5 years will give you the best germination rates. The older the seeds get, the less likely they will sprout. Store seeds in a cool, dark, dry environment – and plant them as soon as you can – the more years that go by, the less seeds will germinate, so you'll want to plant more seeds if they get to be more than 3-5 years old to ensure eno...
What seeds can you plant in July?What seeds can you plant in July? In July, it's not too late to fill your garden with more vegetables! Cherry Belle Radish are super fast growing, ready for harvest in about 22-30 days from sowing, so they are great seeds to plant in July. You can keep sowing these every two weeks throughout July, August and September! Sowing seeds all spring/summer/fall helps produce a continual harvest. We direct sow them in the garden and they germinate in just a few days. These are fun for kids ...
Fast Growing SeedsLooking for vegetable seeds that grow fast? It's never too late to start seeds! Whether it's because you're late in planting seeds, or if you are sowing seeds throughout the season and want to tuck more vegetables into your garden, here are our top fast growing seeds: Fastest growing Vegetables: Cherry Belle Radish is one of the earliest radishes to mature in spring - you can harvest these beauties in just 22-30 days from sowing! We direct sow them in the garden and they germ...
What Vegetables to Plant in May & JuneWhat to plant in May & June It's May, have you not planted your vegetable garden yet? Or are you looking to plant more seeds? Here are our top vegetable seeds that grow fast, some of them can be succession sown over the summer for a continual harvest. It's never too late to start seeds! Cherry Belle Radish are super fast growing, ready for harvest in about 22-30 days from sowing, so they are great seeds to plant in May. You can keep sowing these every two weeks in May, June,...
Chiltepin PepperHave you grown “mother of all peppers,” the Chiltepin? These ancient tiny hot Chiltepin peppers do love heat, but they thrive best in the partial shade of a tree or bush. Their environment in the wild is often under other plants, where they get some shade. When growing in the wild, these peppers are most often found growing under plants like mesquite or hackberry, preferring a shaded area in the low desert. The Chiltepin, also known as Tepin peppers, grow abundantly on 36” tall plants. ...
So, as a life long BOC fan and an avid gardener who loves the quality of seeds I’ve always received from Sandia Seeds. I just had to have this shirt. It rocks! I ordered a couple more for some fellow BOC fans as well. Great quality and the graphic is outstanding!
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!
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! ...
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...
Growing seeds in winter: Winter Sowing in February
Can I winter sow in February? Yes, February is a great time for Winter Sowing in many regions like the West. We usually have to wait until mid-May here in Colorado to bring out indoor-started peppers and tomatoes and other warm weather veggies to harden off and get ready to transplant into the garden. But that doesn't mean you can't start some seeds outdoors despite the freezing weather and snow... because you can Winter Sow! Cool weather veggies, herbs and native plants can do very...
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...
Pepper Seeds
Pepper Seeds Sandia Seed carries over 100 peppers of the world that you can grow in your garden! Our seeds have very high germination rates and grow into a variety of peppers that are sure to please any pepper lover! We also specialize in New Mexican Chile seeds such as Hatch Chile seeds, Poblano seeds, and other New Mexican favorites.Want sweet, mild, hot or super hot pepper seeds?We got you covered on pepper seeds with every heat level, from no heat at all to wicked hot. Here is a list of o...
Hot Pepper Comic
"I'm not sure what the big deal is about Carolina Reapers... They don't have any heat."Hot Pepper Comic featuring the famous Carolina Reaper and a Bird Did you know birds can't feel the heat? In addition to spicing up hot sauce and salsas, some of our pepper seed customers grow our super hot peppers like the Carolina Reaper to dry and add to their seed mixes to discourage squirrels. Birds don't taste the heat but squirrels and other rodents do! Grow your own bird seed...
Gardener Gifts - Top 5 Gift Ideas
If you have a gardener in your life, they will always appreciate new seeds to grow! Seeds make the best gardener gifts and they can be grown, shared, and saved for years to use in the garden. And there are so many different kinds of seeds you can give! Seeds offer a wide range of varieties including:Peppers from around the world- experience the huge range of flavor and heatClassic heirloom tomatoes - that have been grown by generationsHerbs - everyone loves having fresh herbs for the kitchen!...
Spinach Seeds
Winter Gardening: Did you know? While you may be starting your pepper seeds indoors in the winter months, did you know that you can also garden outside even in cold winter climates? Spinach is an excellent choice for winter and early spring sowing as it is extremely cold hardy. As the temperature decreases the plant increases the sugar content in its vasculature. This essentially acts as an “anti-freeze” to protect the plant. Growth is greatly slowed by temperature and lack of sunlight durin...
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...
Homemade Chili Powder Recipe
Homemade Chili Powder Recipe: ½ C Cumin ½ C Clove ½ C Cayenne 1½ C Paprika 1½ C Dried Pasilla 1½ C Dark Chile Powder 1½ C Light Chile Powder ¼ C Oregano ¼ C Garlic Powder 1 Handful Dried Chile de Arbol 1 Handful Dried Guajillo DIRECTIONS: Bring a medium sauce pan up to heat and quick roast your non-powder chiles until fragrant, this brings out the flavors and will enhance the flavor of your Chile powder. Remove from pan and let cool. Once cool, grind Chiles in blender and transfer to a...
How to grow Tomatillos from Seed
How to grow Tomatillos from Seed Tomatillo seeds are surprisingly easy to start from seed! We simply sow the seeds directly into the ground or in large pots and keep them watered and moist until they sprout. They take off quite quickly, and it's good to thin out the extra seedlings. You can start them indoors, but starting them outdoors can be very successful, too, and requires no transplanting. The seedlings do seem to have some cold-hardiness when very young if started outdoors, but if...
2023 Seed Catalog
Make sure to check out our colorful 2023 Seed Catalog that is filled with seeds, recipes and more. We are so proud of our Sandia Seed Seed Catalog that is packed with heirloom seeds and organic seeds for peppers of the world, plus tons of tomato seeds and vegetable seeds, too! The new seed catalog also features new pepper recipes to try with your harvest! Order our Seed Catalog today! Our 2023 Seed Packets & Seed Catalogs are ready to ship! Here's a sneak peak at some of our Seed C...
Jalapeno - Black Seeds?
Recent Customer Question: Can you eat a jalapeno that has black seeds? Answer: Yes, as long as you don't see any mold! If peppers have black seeds inside, there are a few reasons this could happen: 1. Immature Seeds If peppers don't fully mature, sometimes you'll see brown or black seeds inside when cut open - or they may look shriveled. These are seeds that simply didn't fully develop.This doesn't mean they are bad, we usually remove and compost the black shriveled seed...
Hot Sauce Recipes
Here are some of our favorite hot sauce recipes to make with your abundant hot pepper harvests! Hot sauce is a great way to preserve your peppers and their spiciness for year-round use, and long after the snow starts flying! Nothing beats homegrown, homemade hot sauce. Favorite Hot Sauce Recipes: Easy Hot Sauce »Fermentation Crock Hot Sauce Recipe »Louisiana Hot Sauce Recipe »Roasted Jalapeno Hot Sauce Recipe »Easy Fermented Hot Sauce Recipes »Chocolate, White, Yellow & Red Hot Sa...
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...
How to Grow Green Peppers from Seeds
How to Grow Green Peppers from Seeds 1. Use Fresh SeedsGreen pepper seeds can last up to 25 years in perfect conditions, but using the seeds within 2-5 years will give you the best germination rates. The older the seeds get, the less likely they will sprout. Store seeds in a cool, dark, dry environment – and plant them as soon as you can – the more years that go by, the less seeds will germinate, so you'll want to plant more seeds if they get to be more than 3-5 years old to ensure eno...
What seeds can you plant in July?
What seeds can you plant in July? In July, it's not too late to fill your garden with more vegetables! Cherry Belle Radish are super fast growing, ready for harvest in about 22-30 days from sowing, so they are great seeds to plant in July. You can keep sowing these every two weeks throughout July, August and September! Sowing seeds all spring/summer/fall helps produce a continual harvest. We direct sow them in the garden and they germinate in just a few days. These are fun for kids ...
Fast Growing Seeds
Looking for vegetable seeds that grow fast? It's never too late to start seeds! Whether it's because you're late in planting seeds, or if you are sowing seeds throughout the season and want to tuck more vegetables into your garden, here are our top fast growing seeds: Fastest growing Vegetables: Cherry Belle Radish is one of the earliest radishes to mature in spring - you can harvest these beauties in just 22-30 days from sowing! We direct sow them in the garden and they germ...
What Vegetables to Plant in May & June
What to plant in May & June It's May, have you not planted your vegetable garden yet? Or are you looking to plant more seeds? Here are our top vegetable seeds that grow fast, some of them can be succession sown over the summer for a continual harvest. It's never too late to start seeds! Cherry Belle Radish are super fast growing, ready for harvest in about 22-30 days from sowing, so they are great seeds to plant in May. You can keep sowing these every two weeks in May, June,...
Chiltepin Pepper
Have you grown “mother of all peppers,” the Chiltepin? These ancient tiny hot Chiltepin peppers do love heat, but they thrive best in the partial shade of a tree or bush. Their environment in the wild is often under other plants, where they get some shade. When growing in the wild, these peppers are most often found growing under plants like mesquite or hackberry, preferring a shaded area in the low desert. The Chiltepin, also known as Tepin peppers, grow abundantly on 36” tall plants. ...
