Seeds to Plant in May - Direct SowingA summer squash above was direct seeded in mounds in May at a community garden in Denver. Squash is best direct sown as it doesn't like to have it's roots disturbed, so we generally plant it directly in the garden in May and June. Is May too late to direct sow seeds? Answer: Nope! May is a great time to direct sow many seeds in most growing regions in most of the Northern Hemisphere! May marks the transition from spring to summer in many regions, and the days are super long in M...
Edible Nasturtium for your Vegetable GardenNasturtium flowers are beautiful and add artistic flair to your vegetable garden! Plus, the leaves and flowers are edible – they are tasty and a bit spicy, their peppery flavor tastes great when added to salads or as a garnish on any dish. Easy to grow from seeds, direct sow them! They have beautiful edible flowers, leaves and seed pods. Nasturtiums are also a great companion plant for peppers and tomatoes as they attract beneficial insects and deter some pests in the garden. They are ...
Habanero Pepper Heat ScaleHabanero Pepper Heat Scale Our Habanero seeds grow Habaneros that range from 0 to 450,000 Scovilles. That's right, we have two no-heat Habaneros that pack all the great fruity flavor of Habaneros but without heat so they're considered sweet peppers. Our classic Orange Habanero Seeds produce pods that have around 250,000 Scovilles. Get our hottest Habanero with our newer Yellow Caribbean Habanero seeds which produce pods with 450,000 Scovilles. Our second runner up is our Red Caribbean...
Hardening Off Pepper PlantsHardening Off Pepper Plants is important but simple – you just want to gradually expose your indoor-started pepper seedlings to the outside sun and breezes so they are not shocked by full sun on their first day outside. Hardening off pepper seedlings involves gradually exposing seedlings to sunlight, wind, and temperature changes, toughening them up and allowing them to develop thicker leaves and stems. This process helps prevent wilting, stunted growth, and even death. Don't skip this s...
Best Peppers for SalsaIf you love salsa like us, growing hot peppers from seed is a great way to step up your salsa game! Best Peppers in Salsa: With tons of different peppers to choose from in different heat levels, flavors and colors, don't limit yourself to just Jalapenos and Serranos – which are the most popular choices – be sure to try all sorts of hot peppers in your salsa to taste the rainbow of flavors! Roasted anaheim chile, green chile and and poblano peppers offer a milder, smoky flavor. Or for a...
Why are pepper plants turning yellow even with fertilizer?Wondering why some of your pepper plants are turning yellow even with fertilizer?Yellow leaves on your pepper plants may not be because you aren't fertilizing enough, they could have plenty of fertilizer but other issues can cause yellow leaves. While it is true that not enough nitrogen in the soil is a reason pepper plant leaves turn yellow, that is definitely not always the case! There may be plenty of nitrogen and other nutrients, but too much of another thing - water. One of the most ...
What to plant with TomatoesWondering what to plant with tomatoes to help them thrive? Here are some of our top suggestions: Basil – basil and tomatoes are the perfect companions! It's been said that growing a basil plant next to your tomatoes can improve the growth and taste of tomatoes. Basil also helps repel garden pests like aphids and spider mites, while attracting pollinators with it's blooms. It's also perfect to grow basil with tomatoes because they complement each other in the kitchen! Think tomat...
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...
Fermented Hot Sauce: Fermentation CrocksSince we grow so may peppers from seed, including hot peppers and super hot peppers like the Carolina Reaper, we love to make hot sauce. Fermented hot sauce is something we're new to – and we recently added a Fermentation Crock to our kitchen lineup! This large ceramic pot has a lid that sits in a "water seal" channel that can be kept filled with water. This prevents air from entering the crock once the water “seal” is poured, but still allows for the CO2 created during fermentat...
Chef's Pepper GardenIf you are a chef, cook, or a gourmet gardener, make sure to check out our latest 3-pack of the best pepper seeds for your garden! These three special peppers have long been prized by restaurants and is a favorite among chefs. Padron peppers are delicious heirloom peppers that are mostly mild, with an occasional spicy one mixed in. Padron peppers are great to fry up with sesame oil over high heat to blister and soften them, then sprinkle with salt and then serve immediately. Pepperonci...
Why didn't my pepper seeds germinate?"Why didn't my pepper seeds germinate?" This is a common question in the vegetable gardening world. It's not uncommon for experienced gardeners to have trouble starting peppers from seed. Number One Reason Pepper Seeds Don't Germinate:We find that the number one reason that pepper seeds don't germinate is if they are kept below 80˚ F when germinating. Pepper seeds, especially hot pepper seeds, germinate much more successfully when kept consistently moist at 85˚-90˚ F d...
Earliest PepperThe earliest pepper we carry at Sandia Seed are Sweet Chocolate Bell Pepper seeds. These delicious 3-4" chocolate-colored bell peppers are ready for harvest just 57 days after planting! That means these are the earliest pepper seeds we carry! Want more fast growing peppers?View all of our Fastest Growing Peppers »Other early peppers include our sweet Shishito Pepper Seeds, which are popular among gourmet gardeners and chefs and are ready to harvest earlier than most peppers at around 60 d...
Fermentation Crock Hot Sauce RecipeHave you made hot sauce in a fermentation crock? We think that fermented hot sauce is the tastiest of hot sauces! Fermentation Crocks are not super well-known, but they are one of the oldest ways that people have been preserving vegetables. The crocks have a gutter or moat in the rim which is filled with water to create an airlock, which helps keep the food from spoiling and growing mold. The water seal also allows for the fermentation gases to escape without burping, making fermentation croc...
Quick Marinara Sauce with Fresh TomatoesIf you're looking for a Quick Marinara Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes, check out this simple Marinara Sauce Recipe below. We love growing heirloom tomatoes from seed, and then come harvest time, we make batches of this amazing marinara sauce to freeze for winter use. It's great with fresh herbs and garlic from the garden! Ingredients: Homegrown tomatoes (any variety, any amount) Basil Leaves, chopped fresh or dried (1 tsp dried) Rosemary Sprig Oregano, fresh or dried (1 tsp dried) Thy...
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...
Fastest Growing PeppersAre you looking for the fastest growing peppers? Sandia Seed has some of the fastest growing pepper seeds, if you live in a short season climate or if you just want your peppers sooner, check out our top fastest growing pepper list of seeds we carry below: #1 Fastest Growing Pepper:Sweet Chocolate Bell Pepper These delicious 3-4" chocolate-colored bell peppers are ready for harvest just 57 days after planting! That means these are the fastest growing pepper seeds we carry. They'r...
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.
Seeds to Plant in May - Direct Sowing
A summer squash above was direct seeded in mounds in May at a community garden in Denver. Squash is best direct sown as it doesn't like to have it's roots disturbed, so we generally plant it directly in the garden in May and June. Is May too late to direct sow seeds? Answer: Nope! May is a great time to direct sow many seeds in most growing regions in most of the Northern Hemisphere! May marks the transition from spring to summer in many regions, and the days are super long in M...
Edible Nasturtium for your Vegetable Garden
Nasturtium flowers are beautiful and add artistic flair to your vegetable garden! Plus, the leaves and flowers are edible – they are tasty and a bit spicy, their peppery flavor tastes great when added to salads or as a garnish on any dish. Easy to grow from seeds, direct sow them! They have beautiful edible flowers, leaves and seed pods. Nasturtiums are also a great companion plant for peppers and tomatoes as they attract beneficial insects and deter some pests in the garden. They are ...
Habanero Pepper Heat Scale
Habanero Pepper Heat Scale Our Habanero seeds grow Habaneros that range from 0 to 450,000 Scovilles. That's right, we have two no-heat Habaneros that pack all the great fruity flavor of Habaneros but without heat so they're considered sweet peppers. Our classic Orange Habanero Seeds produce pods that have around 250,000 Scovilles. Get our hottest Habanero with our newer Yellow Caribbean Habanero seeds which produce pods with 450,000 Scovilles. Our second runner up is our Red Caribbean...
Hardening Off Pepper Plants
Hardening Off Pepper Plants is important but simple – you just want to gradually expose your indoor-started pepper seedlings to the outside sun and breezes so they are not shocked by full sun on their first day outside. Hardening off pepper seedlings involves gradually exposing seedlings to sunlight, wind, and temperature changes, toughening them up and allowing them to develop thicker leaves and stems. This process helps prevent wilting, stunted growth, and even death. Don't skip this s...
Best Peppers for Salsa
If you love salsa like us, growing hot peppers from seed is a great way to step up your salsa game! Best Peppers in Salsa: With tons of different peppers to choose from in different heat levels, flavors and colors, don't limit yourself to just Jalapenos and Serranos – which are the most popular choices – be sure to try all sorts of hot peppers in your salsa to taste the rainbow of flavors! Roasted anaheim chile, green chile and and poblano peppers offer a milder, smoky flavor. Or for a...
Why are pepper plants turning yellow even with fertilizer?
Wondering why some of your pepper plants are turning yellow even with fertilizer?Yellow leaves on your pepper plants may not be because you aren't fertilizing enough, they could have plenty of fertilizer but other issues can cause yellow leaves. While it is true that not enough nitrogen in the soil is a reason pepper plant leaves turn yellow, that is definitely not always the case! There may be plenty of nitrogen and other nutrients, but too much of another thing - water. One of the most ...
What to plant with Tomatoes
Wondering what to plant with tomatoes to help them thrive? Here are some of our top suggestions: Basil – basil and tomatoes are the perfect companions! It's been said that growing a basil plant next to your tomatoes can improve the growth and taste of tomatoes. Basil also helps repel garden pests like aphids and spider mites, while attracting pollinators with it's blooms. It's also perfect to grow basil with tomatoes because they complement each other in the kitchen! Think tomat...
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...
Fermented Hot Sauce: Fermentation Crocks
Since we grow so may peppers from seed, including hot peppers and super hot peppers like the Carolina Reaper, we love to make hot sauce. Fermented hot sauce is something we're new to – and we recently added a Fermentation Crock to our kitchen lineup! This large ceramic pot has a lid that sits in a "water seal" channel that can be kept filled with water. This prevents air from entering the crock once the water “seal” is poured, but still allows for the CO2 created during fermentat...
Chef's Pepper Garden
If you are a chef, cook, or a gourmet gardener, make sure to check out our latest 3-pack of the best pepper seeds for your garden! These three special peppers have long been prized by restaurants and is a favorite among chefs. Padron peppers are delicious heirloom peppers that are mostly mild, with an occasional spicy one mixed in. Padron peppers are great to fry up with sesame oil over high heat to blister and soften them, then sprinkle with salt and then serve immediately. Pepperonci...
Why didn't my pepper seeds germinate?
"Why didn't my pepper seeds germinate?" This is a common question in the vegetable gardening world. It's not uncommon for experienced gardeners to have trouble starting peppers from seed. Number One Reason Pepper Seeds Don't Germinate:We find that the number one reason that pepper seeds don't germinate is if they are kept below 80˚ F when germinating. Pepper seeds, especially hot pepper seeds, germinate much more successfully when kept consistently moist at 85˚-90˚ F d...
Earliest Pepper
The earliest pepper we carry at Sandia Seed are Sweet Chocolate Bell Pepper seeds. These delicious 3-4" chocolate-colored bell peppers are ready for harvest just 57 days after planting! That means these are the earliest pepper seeds we carry! Want more fast growing peppers?View all of our Fastest Growing Peppers »Other early peppers include our sweet Shishito Pepper Seeds, which are popular among gourmet gardeners and chefs and are ready to harvest earlier than most peppers at around 60 d...
Fermentation Crock Hot Sauce Recipe
Have you made hot sauce in a fermentation crock? We think that fermented hot sauce is the tastiest of hot sauces! Fermentation Crocks are not super well-known, but they are one of the oldest ways that people have been preserving vegetables. The crocks have a gutter or moat in the rim which is filled with water to create an airlock, which helps keep the food from spoiling and growing mold. The water seal also allows for the fermentation gases to escape without burping, making fermentation croc...
Quick Marinara Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
If you're looking for a Quick Marinara Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes, check out this simple Marinara Sauce Recipe below. We love growing heirloom tomatoes from seed, and then come harvest time, we make batches of this amazing marinara sauce to freeze for winter use. It's great with fresh herbs and garlic from the garden! Ingredients: Homegrown tomatoes (any variety, any amount) Basil Leaves, chopped fresh or dried (1 tsp dried) Rosemary Sprig Oregano, fresh or dried (1 tsp dried) Thy...
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...
Fastest Growing Peppers
Are you looking for the fastest growing peppers? Sandia Seed has some of the fastest growing pepper seeds, if you live in a short season climate or if you just want your peppers sooner, check out our top fastest growing pepper list of seeds we carry below: #1 Fastest Growing Pepper:Sweet Chocolate Bell Pepper These delicious 3-4" chocolate-colored bell peppers are ready for harvest just 57 days after planting! That means these are the fastest growing pepper seeds we carry. They'r...
