Soil for PeppersBest Soil for Peppers: Best Soil for Starting Pepper Seeds When starting pepper seeds indoors, it's important to use a good quality seed/seedling starting mix such as Coast of Maine's which performs very well with all pepper seeds. Be sure to use seedling mix rather than garden soil or top soil as seedling/seed mixes are created to be well-draining. We do not recommend using those small Jiffy Pots or peat for starting pepper seeds, as they just don't seem to like to germinate ve...
Winter Sowing PeppersWinter Sowing Peppers Note: Peppers are very sensitive to frost. Winter Sowing outdoors is not generally the best way to start peppers if you live in a short-season climate and want to get a jump on the growing season – we recommend starting your peppers indoors about 8-10 weeks before the last chance of frost in a warm place for best success. Here's more of our top tips for growing peppers from seeds » That said, you can use Winter Sowing with Pepper Seeds, but it is important to wait u...
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...
Grow the Yellow Carolina Reaper!Yellow Carolina Reaper SeedsCustomer testimonials: We have grown Yellow Carolina Reaper alongside the traditional Red Carolina Reaper for a few years now and it is a customer favorite. The germination is always near perfect and it produces beautiful peppers on nice strong plants! I grew 3 Yellow Carolina Reaper plants from seed. I ordered from Sandia Seed Co. and they grew to be very large, robust plants and were absolutely loaded with peppers. These peppers are insanely hot, but have wond...
Habanero Pepper SeedsThe flavor of Habaneros are unlike any other hot pepper – they seem to be oozing with addictive flavor. We have recently been getting into Habanero-based hot sauces as the flavor is just so delicious, you can't stop drizzling on more. It's hard to describe, but most say they taste very spicy with fruity and sweet flavor. This mouth-watering hot pepper pairs nicely with carrots and fruits in hot sauces. We're going to save room for a Habanero Patch in our garden this year, and gro...
Tabasco Pepper PlantThe Tabasco pepper plant is a gorgeous and super tasty addition to any vegetable garden! Tabasco pepper plants are easy to grow from Tabasco Pepper seeds! What do Tabasco Pepper Plants look like?Tabasco Pepper Plants are 2’- 4’ tall and loaded with slender 1-1/2” pods that grow upright. Chiles mature from yellow-green to bright red and have a unique, smoky flavor that creates their distinctive tabasco taste.Tabasco pepper seeds for Sale Sandia Seed has the best Tabasco pepper seeds to grow in...
How to use Dried PeppersUsing dried peppers for recipes is a great way to add flavor and spice all year round with your harvest! If you dry your homegrown pepper harvest, you can use a food processor, coffee grinder, or spice grinder to chop up your dried peppers. We also like to use a pair of kitchen shears or scissors to "cut" up the peppers into foods, as shown above. This is an easy way to add just a few hot peppers to any dish. T Keeping your dried peppers whole and storing them in a cool dark dry place...
Hatch Chile Guacamole RecipeHatch Chile Guacamole Recipe 2-3 Avocados 1/2 Cup Roasted Hatch Chile, diced1/2 Lime, juiced Cilantro (to taste), chopped (optional*) 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced1/4 cup Tomatoes, Chopped1 fresh Jalapeno, diced (optional for heat and crunch)Salt & Pepper Mash avocado, add lime juice, cilantro, Hatch chile, jalapeno, garlic, salt and pepper, mix lightly. Serve with chips, on tacos, burritos, sandwiches, tostadas... you name it! *Cilantro is optional for those of you who detest it. We ...
Discounted SeedsCheck out our latest Vegetable Seed Discounts for 50% Off Seeds! We have some customer favorites on sale due to overstock, so grab a discounted seed packet or a few for a great deal so you can grow more in your vegetable garden this year! Many of these are the easiest seeds to grow and are very productive, so they're perfect for beginner gardeners and expert gardeners alike! These seeds on sale change often, so bookmark our Discounted Seeds page and come back often to see what seeds we...
The best way to Transfer Plants from under Grow Lights to OutdoorsIs it difficult to transfer plants from under grow lights to outdoors? Nope! You just want to gradually expose any seedlings you start to the sun and outdoor conditions. To do this, first set them in dappled shade for a few hours (or put them outside on an overcast day), and then incrementally increase the amount of sun they receive for a period of several days. Once they are acclimated, you can transplant them into the garden or containers. Learn more about hardening off seedlings »
Short Season Heirloom TomatoesLooking to grow Short Season Heirloom Tomatoes this season? If you are looking to grow early tomato varieties, you've come to the right place. If you are in a short season climate, or, if you just want to enjoy juicy homegrown heirloom tomatoes from your garden, any of these varieties would be a great pick! Best Short Season Tomatoes: Heirloom Pineapple Tomato These plants will fruit fairly early, and also ripen quickly. In mid-summer, they seemed to stop blooming, then they put on ano...
Winter SowingWinter Sowing: We just learned about Winter Sowing a few years ago, it's a wonderful way to start seeds using recycled containers outside! With winter sowing, you don't need room inside to start seeds, you can start them outdoors in the winter/spring months with recycled jugs and other containers. These containers serve as miniature greenhouses that do an incredible job of germinating all sorts of seeds including vegetables, herbs, and native plants. Winter Sowing Seeds in Milk...
Types of PeppersThere are many types of peppers to grow in your garden! There are the five major types of peppers: Capsicum annuum: Life span: 1.5-3 years These include a lot of the largest peppers including Bell Peppers, sweet/Italian Peppers, Serrano, Cayenne, Paprika, Hatch Chile Peppers, ornamental peppers like the gorgeous NuMex Twilight pepper, and all of the fast growing Jalapeños. These pepper plants can live between 1.5-3 years. We find that the New Mexican Chile varieties really produce t...
Grow Peppers in PotsDid you know you can grow peppers in pots? Most pepper varieties do great in pots! Check our list of Best Peppers to Grow in Pots Add some peppers to your garden this year! Growing peppers in pots is a great way to expand your garden, or peppers if you don't have a garden bed! You can place pots on patios, decks, or balconies to increase your harvest each season. The Easter Pepper, shown above, makes an absolutely stunning centerpiece in a tall ceramic pot in a pollinator garden. The lar...
Five Mild Green ChilesIf you like green chile but not the burn in your mouth we suggest growing a few of the milder varieties. AnaheimScoville 500-1,000 This can be is the mildest New Mexico pod-type pepper. It has less flavor than the NM 6-4. This heirloom has genetics that trace back to the original No. 9 pepper developed by Fabian Garcia in the early 1900s.Anaheim Sonora MildScoville 600 Very mild and like the Anaheim, but with larger pods. The flesh is thick and this variety is TMV resistant. Not heirloom....
Cabbage Salsa / Mexican Coleslaw RecipeIf you haven't had cabbage salsa before (also known as Mexican Coleslaw), you're missing out! This crunchy, spicy, tangy salsa is a real treat – eat it with tortilla chips, or serve as a delicious side or topping for tacos. We first had it at a Mexican restaurant in Colorado a few years back and it was so good we had to find some recipes. Here's our version that we make every summer now: Cabbage Salsa / Mexican Coleslaw Recipe Ingredients 4 cups chopped or shredded cabbage (we ...
Cool Weather VegetablesThere are a lot of cool weather vegetables that are great for winter growing as well as for early spring! Sandia Seed has a good selection of cool season vegetables that are great for growing in the cold months, especially early spring! When to plant cool weather crops:Cool-season vegetables can be planted anytime from several weeks to a couple of months before the last frost date. These early vegetables prefer cooler temperatures for growing. Some people start seeds indoors to get them ...
Best Light for SeedlingsBest Light for Seedlings "What are you guys using as grow lights for seed starting?"We recently had a question from a customer on what kind of lights we're using to start seeds. You can use lots of different lights to start seeds, you'd be surprised, even a regular old standard fluorescent white light will do the trick! These days though you'll find LED lights at any garden center, nursery or hardware store. LED lights work well for starting seeds and getting your see...
Hottest Pepper in the WorldThe hottest pepper in the world in 2023 is now Pepper X! However, you CANNOT buy Pepper X seeds or grow the plants, they are patented by the developer of the hot pod, Ed Currie. It doesn't sound like he's planning on releasing them anytime soon or ever. So, in the meantime, grow his infamous predecessor, the Carolina Reaper, which held the Guinness World Record crown from 2013-2023. The Carolina Reaper was the Guinness world record holder for being the hottest pepper in the world fr...
How long does it take to grow peppers from seed?How long does it take to grow peppers from seed? Well, it depends on the pepper! Some peppers, like our Orange Jalapeno, Yellow Jalapeno and our Early Jalapeno seeds are all super fast growing, which start harvesting at around 65 days after starting from seed. Or you can grow our Sweet Chocolate Bell Pepper seeds, which is our earliest pepper to harvest, with the first peppers ripening at around 57 days! Find other fastest growing peppers here.Growing short season peppers is one way to sh...
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!
Soil for Peppers
Best Soil for Peppers: Best Soil for Starting Pepper Seeds When starting pepper seeds indoors, it's important to use a good quality seed/seedling starting mix such as Coast of Maine's which performs very well with all pepper seeds. Be sure to use seedling mix rather than garden soil or top soil as seedling/seed mixes are created to be well-draining. We do not recommend using those small Jiffy Pots or peat for starting pepper seeds, as they just don't seem to like to germinate ve...
Winter Sowing Peppers
Winter Sowing Peppers Note: Peppers are very sensitive to frost. Winter Sowing outdoors is not generally the best way to start peppers if you live in a short-season climate and want to get a jump on the growing season – we recommend starting your peppers indoors about 8-10 weeks before the last chance of frost in a warm place for best success. Here's more of our top tips for growing peppers from seeds » That said, you can use Winter Sowing with Pepper Seeds, but it is important to wait u...
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...
Grow the Yellow Carolina Reaper!
Yellow Carolina Reaper SeedsCustomer testimonials: We have grown Yellow Carolina Reaper alongside the traditional Red Carolina Reaper for a few years now and it is a customer favorite. The germination is always near perfect and it produces beautiful peppers on nice strong plants! I grew 3 Yellow Carolina Reaper plants from seed. I ordered from Sandia Seed Co. and they grew to be very large, robust plants and were absolutely loaded with peppers. These peppers are insanely hot, but have wond...
Habanero Pepper Seeds
The flavor of Habaneros are unlike any other hot pepper – they seem to be oozing with addictive flavor. We have recently been getting into Habanero-based hot sauces as the flavor is just so delicious, you can't stop drizzling on more. It's hard to describe, but most say they taste very spicy with fruity and sweet flavor. This mouth-watering hot pepper pairs nicely with carrots and fruits in hot sauces. We're going to save room for a Habanero Patch in our garden this year, and gro...
Tabasco Pepper Plant
The Tabasco pepper plant is a gorgeous and super tasty addition to any vegetable garden! Tabasco pepper plants are easy to grow from Tabasco Pepper seeds! What do Tabasco Pepper Plants look like?Tabasco Pepper Plants are 2’- 4’ tall and loaded with slender 1-1/2” pods that grow upright. Chiles mature from yellow-green to bright red and have a unique, smoky flavor that creates their distinctive tabasco taste.Tabasco pepper seeds for Sale Sandia Seed has the best Tabasco pepper seeds to grow in...
How to use Dried Peppers
Using dried peppers for recipes is a great way to add flavor and spice all year round with your harvest! If you dry your homegrown pepper harvest, you can use a food processor, coffee grinder, or spice grinder to chop up your dried peppers. We also like to use a pair of kitchen shears or scissors to "cut" up the peppers into foods, as shown above. This is an easy way to add just a few hot peppers to any dish. T Keeping your dried peppers whole and storing them in a cool dark dry place...
Hatch Chile Guacamole Recipe
Hatch Chile Guacamole Recipe 2-3 Avocados 1/2 Cup Roasted Hatch Chile, diced1/2 Lime, juiced Cilantro (to taste), chopped (optional*) 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced1/4 cup Tomatoes, Chopped1 fresh Jalapeno, diced (optional for heat and crunch)Salt & Pepper Mash avocado, add lime juice, cilantro, Hatch chile, jalapeno, garlic, salt and pepper, mix lightly. Serve with chips, on tacos, burritos, sandwiches, tostadas... you name it! *Cilantro is optional for those of you who detest it. We ...
Discounted Seeds
Check out our latest Vegetable Seed Discounts for 50% Off Seeds! We have some customer favorites on sale due to overstock, so grab a discounted seed packet or a few for a great deal so you can grow more in your vegetable garden this year! Many of these are the easiest seeds to grow and are very productive, so they're perfect for beginner gardeners and expert gardeners alike! These seeds on sale change often, so bookmark our Discounted Seeds page and come back often to see what seeds we...
The best way to Transfer Plants from under Grow Lights to Outdoors
Is it difficult to transfer plants from under grow lights to outdoors? Nope! You just want to gradually expose any seedlings you start to the sun and outdoor conditions. To do this, first set them in dappled shade for a few hours (or put them outside on an overcast day), and then incrementally increase the amount of sun they receive for a period of several days. Once they are acclimated, you can transplant them into the garden or containers. Learn more about hardening off seedlings »
Short Season Heirloom Tomatoes
Looking to grow Short Season Heirloom Tomatoes this season? If you are looking to grow early tomato varieties, you've come to the right place. If you are in a short season climate, or, if you just want to enjoy juicy homegrown heirloom tomatoes from your garden, any of these varieties would be a great pick! Best Short Season Tomatoes: Heirloom Pineapple Tomato These plants will fruit fairly early, and also ripen quickly. In mid-summer, they seemed to stop blooming, then they put on ano...
Winter Sowing
Winter Sowing: We just learned about Winter Sowing a few years ago, it's a wonderful way to start seeds using recycled containers outside! With winter sowing, you don't need room inside to start seeds, you can start them outdoors in the winter/spring months with recycled jugs and other containers. These containers serve as miniature greenhouses that do an incredible job of germinating all sorts of seeds including vegetables, herbs, and native plants. Winter Sowing Seeds in Milk...
Types of Peppers
There are many types of peppers to grow in your garden! There are the five major types of peppers: Capsicum annuum: Life span: 1.5-3 years These include a lot of the largest peppers including Bell Peppers, sweet/Italian Peppers, Serrano, Cayenne, Paprika, Hatch Chile Peppers, ornamental peppers like the gorgeous NuMex Twilight pepper, and all of the fast growing Jalapeños. These pepper plants can live between 1.5-3 years. We find that the New Mexican Chile varieties really produce t...
Grow Peppers in Pots
Did you know you can grow peppers in pots? Most pepper varieties do great in pots! Check our list of Best Peppers to Grow in Pots Add some peppers to your garden this year! Growing peppers in pots is a great way to expand your garden, or peppers if you don't have a garden bed! You can place pots on patios, decks, or balconies to increase your harvest each season. The Easter Pepper, shown above, makes an absolutely stunning centerpiece in a tall ceramic pot in a pollinator garden. The lar...
Five Mild Green Chiles
If you like green chile but not the burn in your mouth we suggest growing a few of the milder varieties. AnaheimScoville 500-1,000 This can be is the mildest New Mexico pod-type pepper. It has less flavor than the NM 6-4. This heirloom has genetics that trace back to the original No. 9 pepper developed by Fabian Garcia in the early 1900s.Anaheim Sonora MildScoville 600 Very mild and like the Anaheim, but with larger pods. The flesh is thick and this variety is TMV resistant. Not heirloom....
Cabbage Salsa / Mexican Coleslaw Recipe
If you haven't had cabbage salsa before (also known as Mexican Coleslaw), you're missing out! This crunchy, spicy, tangy salsa is a real treat – eat it with tortilla chips, or serve as a delicious side or topping for tacos. We first had it at a Mexican restaurant in Colorado a few years back and it was so good we had to find some recipes. Here's our version that we make every summer now: Cabbage Salsa / Mexican Coleslaw Recipe Ingredients 4 cups chopped or shredded cabbage (we ...
Cool Weather Vegetables
There are a lot of cool weather vegetables that are great for winter growing as well as for early spring! Sandia Seed has a good selection of cool season vegetables that are great for growing in the cold months, especially early spring! When to plant cool weather crops:Cool-season vegetables can be planted anytime from several weeks to a couple of months before the last frost date. These early vegetables prefer cooler temperatures for growing. Some people start seeds indoors to get them ...
Best Light for Seedlings
Best Light for Seedlings "What are you guys using as grow lights for seed starting?"We recently had a question from a customer on what kind of lights we're using to start seeds. You can use lots of different lights to start seeds, you'd be surprised, even a regular old standard fluorescent white light will do the trick! These days though you'll find LED lights at any garden center, nursery or hardware store. LED lights work well for starting seeds and getting your see...
Hottest Pepper in the World
The hottest pepper in the world in 2023 is now Pepper X! However, you CANNOT buy Pepper X seeds or grow the plants, they are patented by the developer of the hot pod, Ed Currie. It doesn't sound like he's planning on releasing them anytime soon or ever. So, in the meantime, grow his infamous predecessor, the Carolina Reaper, which held the Guinness World Record crown from 2013-2023. The Carolina Reaper was the Guinness world record holder for being the hottest pepper in the world fr...
How long does it take to grow peppers from seed?
How long does it take to grow peppers from seed? Well, it depends on the pepper! Some peppers, like our Orange Jalapeno, Yellow Jalapeno and our Early Jalapeno seeds are all super fast growing, which start harvesting at around 65 days after starting from seed. Or you can grow our Sweet Chocolate Bell Pepper seeds, which is our earliest pepper to harvest, with the first peppers ripening at around 57 days! Find other fastest growing peppers here.Growing short season peppers is one way to sh...
