When to Plant Sugar Snap Peas for Fall HarvestIf you're looking for good fall crops to grow from seed, we have you covered! We have a new lineup of our favorite easiest-to-grow vegetable seeds to complement our chile pepper and tomato seed collections. One of the top growers are our Easy-to-Grow Pea Seeds. When to Plant Sugar Snap Peas for Fall Harvest In the fall, plant sugar snap peas in the last 8 to 10 weeks before the first expected frost to guarantee a plentiful harvest. Or, you can also provide cover such as a hoop house o...
Summer Succotash with Peaches & Cream CornSuccotash is a celebration of all the vibrant vegetables coming into season. It is an American dish created where the Three Sisters of corn, beans, and squash are native. Although succotash is mainly composed of vegetables, it is not unusual for bacon to be added for flavor. Succotash knows no limits when it comes to substitutions. The cherry tomatoes have a nice fresh flavor, but when ripe red tomatoes are at their peak, dice and add them for a rich flavor. Early season jalapeños can be us...
Sphagnum Moss vs Peat MossThere is a lot of confusion about the labeling of sphagnum moss and peat moss. The important difference between these two mosses has never been clearly explained to most gardeners. So, this article will try to clear up the confusion and describe how they are both similar, yet two very different soil amendments. Sphagnum moss is pH neutral. Yes, you read that right. Generally, the pH of sphagnum moss is pH neutral. It is soft, pliable, and very water-retentive. It is used to line baskets, a...
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...
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...
What can I plant in April?Spinach, shown above, is a great seed to direct sow in your garden in April. Of course, what you can plant in April depends on your growing region! Here in the front range of Colorado in growing zone 5b, our last frost is usually in mid-to-late-May. Indoors, we can start lots of warm weather veggie seeds under lights like pepper seeds, tomato seeds, basil seeds, eggplant seeds in April. Outside, we can start seeds for Lettuce, Spinach, Beets, Carrots, Radishes, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cilantro, Or...
March GardeningWondering what to plant in March? The warmer weather and longer days in March are a great time to get your hands in the dirt! There are lots of seeds you can start this month. The timing we write about below is geared for a growing zone 5 where the last frost is in mid-to-late May. Adjust timing accordingly if you have earlier or later frosts. What vegetables to plant in March: Sow Cool-Weather Veggie Seeds Indoors in March: Start seeds for cool-weather crops like lettuce, cabbage, broc...
August Gardening Tips1. Harvest your Peppers (and other veggies)!Simply harvesting your peppers and other summer vegetables like tomatoes, squash, zucchini, and eggplant can help them continue to produce more fruits over time. Harvesting will encourage the plant to produce more blooms. Does picking peppers make more grow? Yes, the more peppers you pick, the more peppers will continue growing on your plant! Keep harvesting peppers as soon as they are ripe and firm so you can grow more! Read more »2. How to know wh...
Squash Wilting?Why does my squash wilt? If your zucchini, pumpkin or squash plants are wilting, it could be a few things: 1. Wilting squash during the Heat of the Day: The most common reason that pumpkin, cucumbers, zucchini and squash leaves wilt is that the cucurbita family has a low root-to-shoot ratio, meaning that they have a shallow root system that supports a very large mass of above ground vegetation. Because of this, during the dry heat of the sunniest part of the day, squash leaves may wilt ...
How to care for container-grown peppersGrowing peppers in containers is a great way to expand your gardening space. As long as you have an area with 6+ hours of sun, you can grow peppers, even on a balcony in the city. First, make sure to pick good pepper varieties that grow well in containers as they are well-suited to growing in pots. Here are our top tips for the best care for container-grown peppers: Container Size: Select a large pot or container with a 12" + diameter and about 5 gallons in size to allow room for the ro...
Vegetable Container GardeningVegetable Container Gardening:The best seeds to grow Even if you don't have a lot of space, vegetable container gardening is possible so you can have your own homegrown veggies and herbs. Starting Seeds for Vegetable Container Gardens: You can start many seeds in a sunny window, or get some inexpensive led or flourescent grow lights and start seeds under the lights to get them growing strong for transplanting into their final containers or pots come spring. The cost of starting your cont...
Companion Plants for Chile PeppersThe reason companion planting is so beneficial is not fully understood, but has been noted by farmers and gardeners for many generations. There are some basic concepts that do make good sense. The physical structure of companion plants with tall strong stems may protect your chile plants from wind damage. The root growth of companion plants with deeper root systems can improve the overall health of the compacted soil by opening up channels for better drainage and air exchange. Herbs produce c...
Can peppers withstand a light frost?Can peppers withstand a light frost? Not usually. Peppers are very tender plants and a light frost will likely kill the plant or at least heavily damage the leaves. Even if the cold doesn't kill the plant outright, it will be damaged and stunted going forward. If a frost is expected, or any temperatures below 45˚ F, we'd recommend covering your pepper plants with a frost blanket, overturned bucket, mini hoop house, water wall or other protection. Or bring them inside if possible. Many...
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...
Fall Vegetable Garden Tips2019 Fall Vegetable Garden Tips Now that fall is here for many of us, and you've harvested the last of your chiles, tomatoes, and other summer veggies, it's time to put your gardens to bed for the winter. Here are a couple of tips to build your garden soil for next season: 1. Mulch your garden beds with compost, grass clippings or leaves to help conserve moisture over the winter, as well as feed/build the soil. Did you know you can add your roasted green chile skins and seeds to y...
Green Chile Shepherd's Pie RecipeGreen Chile Shepherd's Pie Recipe If you love green chile, then you have to try out this amazing Green Chile Shepherd's Pie Recipe – it is a New Mexican twist on the the classic Irish dish. INGREDIENTS 4 large potatoes, diced 1 stick of butter (or 1/2 cup of olive oil) 1 onion, chopped 2 cups mixed vegetables (diced carrots, peas, corn) 1 cup of roasted Green Chile (peeled, de-seeded, and chopped) 1 1/2 lbs ground round beef, chicken or pork (or omit the meat for a vegan version...
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!
Big Chiles with just enough heat to add to green enchilada's. The flavor after roasting is fantastic. Since green chile roasting is not a local thing in Eastern Washington we us a weed burner. The smell of roasting peppers is heavenly.
My favorite green chili to grow. Plenty of heat and after roasting sit perfectly on a hamburger. Also my wonderful wife makes Puelo Chili jam that is a real crowd pleaser