Gardening by the Zodiac SignsWhen it comes to planting in your garden, soil, sun and seasons aren't the only factors to consider. It turns out the the zodiac signs can be just as important. For the best results, they should be considered when choosing plants for your garden. What to plant in your garden according to your zodiac sign. ARIES (March 21 to April 20) You are a fiery, energetic, and quick individual who likes spicy, invigorating plants and foods. Growing onion, garlic chives, basil, cayenne peppers, a...
Are Hatch chiles heirlooms?Yes and No. The New Mexico pod-type chiles have an interesting history. History - The first NM chile was created in 1921 by Fabian Garcia. His 'New Mexico No. 9' chile became the foundation for the modern chile pepper industry in the American West. Before 1921 growers had no way to predict or control the size or heat of their chile pods. García saw an opportunity to develop a chile that would be easier to peel after roasting and to preserve by canning. He predicted, too, that a milder...
Growing Peppers in TexasWhat peppers grow well in Texas? A customer just reached out to us with this question about Growing Peppers in Texas: We love your curated selection of heirloom and native seeds and making them available to people like us! We live in Zone 9a near Galveston,Texas. Our homestead garden is where we test and grow food for ourselves. We grow transplants naturally from seed to sell at markets and have recently started to offer to local nurseries! We are placing an order soon, just wanted to as...
Best Peppers to GrowBest Peppers to Grow in 2024! Here are our top picks for peppers to grow in your garden. These delicious selections are productive and easy to grow so you'll enjoy a colorful and tasty harvest of peppers in 2024. 1. Jimmy Nardello So delicious and so productive. It is an old-school heirloom that is just an absolute winner. These tasty sweet peppers can be used for stir fry and pasta sauces. 2. Cayenne Ring of Fire Beautiful pepper that matures early and is spicy! It has a wonderful cayen...
Are peppers herbs or spices?We've been asked: Are peppers herbs or spices?Herbs are typically considered the leafy part of the plant, such as basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley, cilantro, and oregano. Spices, on the other hand, are typically come from the root, stem, seed, fruit, flower or bark of a plant or tree. So peppers are usually considered a spice, and they are also a fruit. Although, as with many things, these terms aren't always black and white...Peppers are both considered herbs and spices. In fact, the...
Fastest Growing VegetablesDo you want to grow the Fastest Growing Vegetables? We have a great selection of fast growing vegetable seeds to grow in your garden. Whether you want to fill more vegetables into your garden, or you're starting your garden late, or just want to eat fresh veggies faster, any of these varieties are sure to please! Here are our top suggestions for the fastest growing crops that you can start from seed: Radish – Harvest in 22+ Days!The classic Cherry Bell Radish is super easy to grow and i...
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...
Best Habanero SeedsDo you love habaneros? If you haven't tried them, and you like hot peppers, you should grow habaneros!We think habaneros are one of the tastiest of all peppers – they have a great fruity flavor, aroma and lots of heat! Habaneros make some of the most flavorful hot sauces, and they are awesome in salsas. Easy to grow, Habanero seeds can be started indoors to get the plants growing strong before transplanting outside once the weather warms up and all chance of frost has passed. We have s...
New PeppersNEW PEPPERS Grow something new this year! In 2022 we have a lot of new peppers to grow in your garden! We are introducing Hatch Green Mild – Guizeppi as one of the mildest Hatch chile varieties we offer; Alma Paprika, the best paprika for drying; Anaheim Sonora Mild, a delicious and very large pepper; Biquinho Yellow, mild and fruity from Brazil; Cascabella, small and tangy these are the peppers that Mezzetta uses; Cayenne Purple, both the pepper and plant are pretty, Corno de Toro Gai...
Fresh vs Dried Pepper NamesFresh vs Dried Pepper Names:Did you know peppers have different names depending on whether they are fresh or dried/smoked? Welcome to the world of peppers! Read on... Here are some common dried pepper names: Dried (Smoked) Jalapeños = ChipotleDried Poblanos = AnchoDried Anaheim Chile = Colorado or CaliforniaDried Mirasol = GuajilloDried Serrano = Chile Seco*(or more specifically: balin, chico, tipico and largo)Dried Chilaca = PasillaDried Chile de Arbol = Chile Seco* Of course, the name...
Fruity Hot PeppersHere's a question from one of our seed customers asking aboutfruity hot peppers:"I enjoy the earthy flavor of jalapeños on occasions. They’re perfect with tacos but for sauces I prefer habaneros or something more fruity. Can you recommend some of your peppers that have a fruity flavor?" Answer: There are many types of hot peppers. For hot peppers with fruity flavors, Habaneros are always a good bet – check out our Red Caribbean Habanero or try growing our Orange Habanero with ...
Salad Garden KitHere's the best Salad Garden Kit! This Organic Seed Starter Kit comes bundled with 20 of the easiest-to-grow vegetable seeds so you can have a huge garden to eat from all year-round! We have picked the fastest and easiest-to-grow vegetable seeds so that you can grow plenty for daily salads and beyond! Grow our Little Gem Lettuce Seeds for a very crispy and tasty cross between butterhead and romaine lettuce. Chef's love it! Also in our Salad Garden Kit are our Nasturtiums which are...
Will Ghost Peppers ripen off the Plant?What can you do with peppers that didn't have time to ripen? If I pick peppers when green, will they ripen off the plant? If you have to pick your hot peppers early – including Ghost Peppers or the Yellow Carolina Reapers or Habaneros – due to impending cold weather, don't worry! Often, many peppers do continue to ripen on their own on the counter after being picked. It can take a week or so, but it's possible if the peppers are close enough to ripe when picked. Check them to ma...
Fast Growing VegetablesLooking for vegetables that grow quickly and easily? Check out our new lineup of organic Vegetable Seeds – we picked these easy-to-grow veggie seeds so that everyone can have a successful, fast growing harvest! Growing fast growing vegetables in your yard is the easiest way to have a productive garden. Our easy-to-grow vegetables are perfect for first-time gardeners and expert gardeners alike as these varieties are tried-and-true! We picked these special varieties because they are the easiest...
Little Gem LettuceHave you grown Little Gem lettuce? Also known as Sweet Gem lettuce and Winter Density, Little Gem lettuce is a small lettuce that is a cross between romaine lettuce and a butterhead type lettuce. Little Gem lettuce has a thinner stalk and thicker, juicier leaves than Romaine lettuce. Cooks and chefs like Little Gem lettuce because of it's crunchy texture, and it even has the ability to withstand heat in cooking. Little Gem is also good for summer lettuce as it is more heat tolerant than...
Habanada: No-heat HabaneroLooking for a habanero pepper with all the flavor but no heat? Check out the Habanada pepper – it has all the awesome habanero flavor without the heat! The flavor and aroma of the Habanada is equal to, or better than a hot orange habanero. This variety was crossed with a Capsicum chinense orange habanero that was lacking the capsacin heat gene.If you have a lot of green tomatoes at the end of the season, a great way to use them up is to make Habanero Green Tomato Sauce. This amazing sauce is...
Morita Salsa RecipeDid you know that a Morita chile is really a smoked ripe jalapeño? Morita chiles are similar to Chipotle peppers in this respect, the difference being that Moritas are mildly smoked for less time than Chipotle peppers, so they are softer and they maintain their subtle fruity characteristics while developing a rich chocolatey aroma. Dried and crushed Morita chiles are ideal for use in soups, stews, beans, and chilis. Morita chiles can be used instead of Chipotle peppers in recipes. Moritas a...
New Pepper SeedsSandia Seed is proud to expand our Peppers of the World seed collection this year to include several new pepper seeds this year! NEW PEPPERS Grow something new this year! In 2025 we have a lot of new peppers to grow in your garden! Gypsy Sweet PepperA fast growing sweet pepper with fantastic sweet flavor that is never bitter! These pepper plants produce a large amount of peppers all season. Enjoy them early when they are yellow-green stage or wait until they fully ripen to or...
Aleppo PepperLooking for the Aleppo Pepper to grow in your garden? Sandia Seed is thrilled to add Aleppo Seeds to our catalog in 2024!Did you know that the Aleppo pepper was named the Herb of the Month by the Herb Society of America in September 2023 because of it's outstanding qualities? Read more about the Herb Society of America's pick »Aleppo Heirloom PepperThe Aleppo pepper, also known as the Halaby pepper, is commonly used as chile flakes in Mediterranean cuisine. It has a beautiful deep red...
Orange Pepper Seeds - An Orange Habanero with no Heat!Grow Orange pepper seeds for some delightful color in your recipes! We have lots of different orange peppers to choose from – ranging from hot to sweet. Looking for a sweet orange pepper? Our Habanada is a sweet habanero pepper with crisp, thin skin and great exotic, floral flavor – all the great parts of a hot Habanero but without even a hint of heat.The Habanada has all the great flavor and the aroma of a hot Orange Habanero, but without any capsaicin to burn your tongue. These are great...
Gardening by the Zodiac Signs
When it comes to planting in your garden, soil, sun and seasons aren't the only factors to consider. It turns out the the zodiac signs can be just as important. For the best results, they should be considered when choosing plants for your garden. What to plant in your garden according to your zodiac sign. ARIES (March 21 to April 20) You are a fiery, energetic, and quick individual who likes spicy, invigorating plants and foods. Growing onion, garlic chives, basil, cayenne peppers, a...
Growing Peppers in Texas
What peppers grow well in Texas? A customer just reached out to us with this question about Growing Peppers in Texas: We love your curated selection of heirloom and native seeds and making them available to people like us! We live in Zone 9a near Galveston,Texas. Our homestead garden is where we test and grow food for ourselves. We grow transplants naturally from seed to sell at markets and have recently started to offer to local nurseries! We are placing an order soon, just wanted to as...
Best Peppers to Grow
Best Peppers to Grow in 2024! Here are our top picks for peppers to grow in your garden. These delicious selections are productive and easy to grow so you'll enjoy a colorful and tasty harvest of peppers in 2024. 1. Jimmy Nardello So delicious and so productive. It is an old-school heirloom that is just an absolute winner. These tasty sweet peppers can be used for stir fry and pasta sauces. 2. Cayenne Ring of Fire Beautiful pepper that matures early and is spicy! It has a wonderful cayen...
Are peppers herbs or spices?
We've been asked: Are peppers herbs or spices?Herbs are typically considered the leafy part of the plant, such as basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley, cilantro, and oregano. Spices, on the other hand, are typically come from the root, stem, seed, fruit, flower or bark of a plant or tree. So peppers are usually considered a spice, and they are also a fruit. Although, as with many things, these terms aren't always black and white...Peppers are both considered herbs and spices. In fact, the...
Fastest Growing Vegetables
Do you want to grow the Fastest Growing Vegetables? We have a great selection of fast growing vegetable seeds to grow in your garden. Whether you want to fill more vegetables into your garden, or you're starting your garden late, or just want to eat fresh veggies faster, any of these varieties are sure to please! Here are our top suggestions for the fastest growing crops that you can start from seed: Radish – Harvest in 22+ Days!The classic Cherry Bell Radish is super easy to grow and i...
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...
Best Habanero Seeds
Do you love habaneros? If you haven't tried them, and you like hot peppers, you should grow habaneros!We think habaneros are one of the tastiest of all peppers – they have a great fruity flavor, aroma and lots of heat! Habaneros make some of the most flavorful hot sauces, and they are awesome in salsas. Easy to grow, Habanero seeds can be started indoors to get the plants growing strong before transplanting outside once the weather warms up and all chance of frost has passed. We have s...
New Peppers
NEW PEPPERS Grow something new this year! In 2022 we have a lot of new peppers to grow in your garden! We are introducing Hatch Green Mild – Guizeppi as one of the mildest Hatch chile varieties we offer; Alma Paprika, the best paprika for drying; Anaheim Sonora Mild, a delicious and very large pepper; Biquinho Yellow, mild and fruity from Brazil; Cascabella, small and tangy these are the peppers that Mezzetta uses; Cayenne Purple, both the pepper and plant are pretty, Corno de Toro Gai...
Fresh vs Dried Pepper Names
Fresh vs Dried Pepper Names:Did you know peppers have different names depending on whether they are fresh or dried/smoked? Welcome to the world of peppers! Read on... Here are some common dried pepper names: Dried (Smoked) Jalapeños = ChipotleDried Poblanos = AnchoDried Anaheim Chile = Colorado or CaliforniaDried Mirasol = GuajilloDried Serrano = Chile Seco*(or more specifically: balin, chico, tipico and largo)Dried Chilaca = PasillaDried Chile de Arbol = Chile Seco* Of course, the name...
Fruity Hot Peppers
Here's a question from one of our seed customers asking aboutfruity hot peppers:"I enjoy the earthy flavor of jalapeños on occasions. They’re perfect with tacos but for sauces I prefer habaneros or something more fruity. Can you recommend some of your peppers that have a fruity flavor?" Answer: There are many types of hot peppers. For hot peppers with fruity flavors, Habaneros are always a good bet – check out our Red Caribbean Habanero or try growing our Orange Habanero with ...
Salad Garden Kit
Here's the best Salad Garden Kit! This Organic Seed Starter Kit comes bundled with 20 of the easiest-to-grow vegetable seeds so you can have a huge garden to eat from all year-round! We have picked the fastest and easiest-to-grow vegetable seeds so that you can grow plenty for daily salads and beyond! Grow our Little Gem Lettuce Seeds for a very crispy and tasty cross between butterhead and romaine lettuce. Chef's love it! Also in our Salad Garden Kit are our Nasturtiums which are...
Will Ghost Peppers ripen off the Plant?
What can you do with peppers that didn't have time to ripen? If I pick peppers when green, will they ripen off the plant? If you have to pick your hot peppers early – including Ghost Peppers or the Yellow Carolina Reapers or Habaneros – due to impending cold weather, don't worry! Often, many peppers do continue to ripen on their own on the counter after being picked. It can take a week or so, but it's possible if the peppers are close enough to ripe when picked. Check them to ma...
Fast Growing Vegetables
Looking for vegetables that grow quickly and easily? Check out our new lineup of organic Vegetable Seeds – we picked these easy-to-grow veggie seeds so that everyone can have a successful, fast growing harvest! Growing fast growing vegetables in your yard is the easiest way to have a productive garden. Our easy-to-grow vegetables are perfect for first-time gardeners and expert gardeners alike as these varieties are tried-and-true! We picked these special varieties because they are the easiest...
Little Gem Lettuce
Have you grown Little Gem lettuce? Also known as Sweet Gem lettuce and Winter Density, Little Gem lettuce is a small lettuce that is a cross between romaine lettuce and a butterhead type lettuce. Little Gem lettuce has a thinner stalk and thicker, juicier leaves than Romaine lettuce. Cooks and chefs like Little Gem lettuce because of it's crunchy texture, and it even has the ability to withstand heat in cooking. Little Gem is also good for summer lettuce as it is more heat tolerant than...
Morita Salsa Recipe
Did you know that a Morita chile is really a smoked ripe jalapeño? Morita chiles are similar to Chipotle peppers in this respect, the difference being that Moritas are mildly smoked for less time than Chipotle peppers, so they are softer and they maintain their subtle fruity characteristics while developing a rich chocolatey aroma. Dried and crushed Morita chiles are ideal for use in soups, stews, beans, and chilis. Morita chiles can be used instead of Chipotle peppers in recipes. Moritas a...
New Pepper Seeds
Sandia Seed is proud to expand our Peppers of the World seed collection this year to include several new pepper seeds this year! NEW PEPPERS Grow something new this year! In 2025 we have a lot of new peppers to grow in your garden! Gypsy Sweet PepperA fast growing sweet pepper with fantastic sweet flavor that is never bitter! These pepper plants produce a large amount of peppers all season. Enjoy them early when they are yellow-green stage or wait until they fully ripen to or...
Aleppo Pepper
Looking for the Aleppo Pepper to grow in your garden? Sandia Seed is thrilled to add Aleppo Seeds to our catalog in 2024!Did you know that the Aleppo pepper was named the Herb of the Month by the Herb Society of America in September 2023 because of it's outstanding qualities? Read more about the Herb Society of America's pick »Aleppo Heirloom PepperThe Aleppo pepper, also known as the Halaby pepper, is commonly used as chile flakes in Mediterranean cuisine. It has a beautiful deep red...
Orange Pepper Seeds - An Orange Habanero with no Heat!
Grow Orange pepper seeds for some delightful color in your recipes! We have lots of different orange peppers to choose from – ranging from hot to sweet. Looking for a sweet orange pepper? Our Habanada is a sweet habanero pepper with crisp, thin skin and great exotic, floral flavor – all the great parts of a hot Habanero but without even a hint of heat.The Habanada has all the great flavor and the aroma of a hot Orange Habanero, but without any capsaicin to burn your tongue. These are great...
