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...
Low Water VegetablesWondering 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...
Trap Crops: Overwintered Cabbage acts as a Beneficial Insect NurseryWhat 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...
Free FertilizerOn a budget? Make your own fertilizer for your garden vegetables. Fertilizer isn't inexpensive, and it is getting more expensive every year. And organic fertilizers, which we use, cost even more! But you can create your own organic fertilizer, in fact, you may already be making fertilizer in your kitchen and you don't realize it! Do you make mashed potatoes? Skip the salt when cooking and use the water for your garden! The cooled (unsalted) water used for boiling potatoes is a highly...
Benefits of GardeningGardening 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...
Easy Seeds to PlantChiles 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...
World Wildlife DayHappy World Wildlife Day! Want to support more wildlife in your garden? Grow a diverse range of flowering herbs and vegetables to attract lots of wildlife like birds, pollinators and beneficial insects to help naturally with pest control. Check out our Pollinator Garden Seed Bundle for an easy way to get started.Expand your culinary journey and wildlife-supporting garden with our Pollinator Seeds Garden Bundle, featuring six must-have pollinator flowers: Basil, Cilantro, Dill, Oregano, Scarle...
Is it cheaper to grow your own herbs?Yes, it's cheaper to grow many of your own herbs! Growing your own herbs almost always pays off in the long run. Sure, there is an initial investment in seeds or starts, soil, and containers, but the savings quickly add up, especially for frequently used varieties like basil, cilantro, and mint. A single packet of seeds can produce months of fresh herbs for the cost of just a few store-bought bunches, minimizing waste and ensuring a steady, organic supply right at home. And, many herbs ar...
Why Join a Community Garden?Why Join a Community Garden?There are so many great reasons! Joining a community garden is a way to grow fresh food, meet neighbors, and improve your mental and physical well‑being, especially if you lack your own yard or growing space. Many people also join because gardens make neighborhoods greener, safer, and more connected. There is nothing better than sharing seeds, seedlings, harvests and growing tips and experiences with others! Here are some of the benefits: Benefits of Joining a Comm...
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...
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!...
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 ...
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...
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...
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...
Free Fertilizer
On a budget? Make your own fertilizer for your garden vegetables. Fertilizer isn't inexpensive, and it is getting more expensive every year. And organic fertilizers, which we use, cost even more! But you can create your own organic fertilizer, in fact, you may already be making fertilizer in your kitchen and you don't realize it! Do you make mashed potatoes? Skip the salt when cooking and use the water for your garden! The cooled (unsalted) water used for boiling potatoes is a highly...
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...
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...
World Wildlife Day
Happy World Wildlife Day! Want to support more wildlife in your garden? Grow a diverse range of flowering herbs and vegetables to attract lots of wildlife like birds, pollinators and beneficial insects to help naturally with pest control. Check out our Pollinator Garden Seed Bundle for an easy way to get started.Expand your culinary journey and wildlife-supporting garden with our Pollinator Seeds Garden Bundle, featuring six must-have pollinator flowers: Basil, Cilantro, Dill, Oregano, Scarle...
Is it cheaper to grow your own herbs?
Yes, it's cheaper to grow many of your own herbs! Growing your own herbs almost always pays off in the long run. Sure, there is an initial investment in seeds or starts, soil, and containers, but the savings quickly add up, especially for frequently used varieties like basil, cilantro, and mint. A single packet of seeds can produce months of fresh herbs for the cost of just a few store-bought bunches, minimizing waste and ensuring a steady, organic supply right at home. And, many herbs ar...
Why Join a Community Garden?
Why Join a Community Garden?There are so many great reasons! Joining a community garden is a way to grow fresh food, meet neighbors, and improve your mental and physical well‑being, especially if you lack your own yard or growing space. Many people also join because gardens make neighborhoods greener, safer, and more connected. There is nothing better than sharing seeds, seedlings, harvests and growing tips and experiences with others! Here are some of the benefits: Benefits of Joining a Comm...
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...
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!...
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 ...
