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 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...
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...
October Gardening TipsHappy October! Here are some of our top tips for October Gardening: 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. October is also a great time to pick and roast your chiles to freeze or use right away – learn how to roast chile » 2. Ma...
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...
How to grow Jalapenos from SeedsFind our top 12 tips for How to grow Jalapenos from Seeds below: 1. Use fresh, high quality Jalapeño seeds:In recent years, jalapeño seeds have experienced what many are calling "Peppergate" – which meant that the seeds did not grow true to seed. Many people who purchased Jalapeno seeds from even some major seed companies experienced that the seeds grew into Banana Peppers. Not that Banana Peppers aren't also delicious, but they are certainly NOT Jalapeños and they didn't ...
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...
Is it ok to reuse potting soil? Here are our Tips for reusing potting soil in pots for growing peppers.Recent customer question:“HELP! I garden in containers and have a nice amount of soil left from growing peppers this past year. I would like to revitalize the soil to use next year for my peppers and tomatoes. I plan on adding new soil too, but what nutrients would you suggest adding?” Answer: Yes, you can reuse potting soil for growing peppers, but it must be amended to replenish nutrients and structure. To replenish the soil, it's good to mix in some slow-release organic fertilizers, wo...
Growing Peppers in ColoradoThere are many different growing zones in Colorado, and you can grow peppers in any areas that you can grow tomatoes and other veggies! For Colorado gardeners, starting peppers indoors is a must with short season gardening, we recommend starting your pepper seeds at least 6-8 weeks before mid-to-late May when you will transplant them into the garden. Use a seedling heat mat to keep the pepper seeds warm during germination, they like to germinate around 80˚F! Choose short season peppers for...
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...
Hatch Chile Seeds: From Planting to HarvestIntroduction 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...
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.
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 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...
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...
October Gardening Tips
Happy October! Here are some of our top tips for October Gardening: 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. October is also a great time to pick and roast your chiles to freeze or use right away – learn how to roast chile » 2. Ma...
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...
How to grow Jalapenos from Seeds
Find our top 12 tips for How to grow Jalapenos from Seeds below: 1. Use fresh, high quality Jalapeño seeds:In recent years, jalapeño seeds have experienced what many are calling "Peppergate" – which meant that the seeds did not grow true to seed. Many people who purchased Jalapeno seeds from even some major seed companies experienced that the seeds grew into Banana Peppers. Not that Banana Peppers aren't also delicious, but they are certainly NOT Jalapeños and they didn't ...
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...
Is it ok to reuse potting soil? Here are our Tips for reusing potting soil in pots for growing peppers.
Recent customer question:“HELP! I garden in containers and have a nice amount of soil left from growing peppers this past year. I would like to revitalize the soil to use next year for my peppers and tomatoes. I plan on adding new soil too, but what nutrients would you suggest adding?” Answer: Yes, you can reuse potting soil for growing peppers, but it must be amended to replenish nutrients and structure. To replenish the soil, it's good to mix in some slow-release organic fertilizers, wo...
Growing Peppers in Colorado
There are many different growing zones in Colorado, and you can grow peppers in any areas that you can grow tomatoes and other veggies! For Colorado gardeners, starting peppers indoors is a must with short season gardening, we recommend starting your pepper seeds at least 6-8 weeks before mid-to-late May when you will transplant them into the garden. Use a seedling heat mat to keep the pepper seeds warm during germination, they like to germinate around 80˚F! Choose short season peppers for...
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...
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...
