Recipe for Spaghetti Verde – Pasta with Cilantro, Tomatillos, Jalapenos and Olive OilHere is a simple recipe for Spaghetti Verde, our version is pasta tossed with roasted tomatillos, jalapenos (or other spicy green peppers such as Hatch chiles) and cilantro. This is a pesto for those who like it spicy! Ingredients: 3-5+ Tomatillos, roasted and cooled 1-3+ Jalapenos, roasted and cooled (or use any green chiles for this recipe) 3+ Garlic Cloves, roasted 1 Bunch of cilantro 1/2 Cup Olive Oil Salt and pepper to taste Nuts - optional, add toasted No Shell Raw Pepitas, pine nuts...
How to Start a Seed LibrarySharing seeds is one of the best ways for communities to share the love of gardening and growing food! Here are our top tips for starting a seed library in your community: Step 1: Find a community space for the Seed Library A well-visited community space is your best bet! Choose a venue that is free and open to the general public such as a local public library or community center.Some people are starting to create outdoor "Little Free Seed Libraries" alongside the book versions ...
Grow Hatch Chile SeedsGrow Hatch Chile seeds in your garden this year and experience one of the best flavors in the world! Growing Hatch chile plants is easy – if you can grow other peppers or tomatoes, you have the right growing conditions for Hatch chile! Hatch Chile varieties range in heat, so you can pick out mild, medium-hot to extra hot chiles for your tastes. See all of our Hatch Chile seed varieties » If you don't live close enough to New Mexico to get chile from the farmers, then grow them! You can ...
Best Tomatoes for Salsa - Grow from seeds!The best tomatoes for salsa include a wide range of tomato varieties. Don't limit yourself to just one kind of tomato for your salsa! Often, fresh chopped tomato salsas like pico-de-gallo are made with firm, fleshy tomatoes such as San Marzanos or Roma Tomatoes. However, this is because those are the types that you can find in the stores. But that doesn't mean they are the only (or best) tomatoes for salsa! Good heirloom tomatoes are not often available at the grocery store. But you ...
When to Top Pepper PlantsAre you thinking about topping your chilli plants? Wondering when to top your pepper plants? Our answer: Keep it simple, we say don't worry about topping your plants at all! If you grow peppers from seed – you may wonder if (and when) you should top your pepper plants. In our experience, topping pepper plants does not necessarily result in more peppers than their un-topped counterparts. If you are growing your peppers outdoors, we don't think topping is necessary. We find that toppi...
How to Prune Tomato PlantsIf you grow tomato seeds, here are our top tips for how to prune tomato plants so they are more productive and healthy all season: First, you can start with pruning your young tomato plants – pruning off some of the first blossoms can help the tomato plant will help it put more energy into growing bigger. Pruning off the first blossoms on your seedlings and plants is especially good to do before transplanting, so they can spend energy getting their roots settled in before going into seed pr...
What are the best pepper seeds for beginners?What are the best pepper seeds for beginners? Beginners should start with some of the fastest growing peppers. These peppers are great for people who are just starting to grow pepper seeds as they germinate quickly and grow into productive pepper plants even in short seasons. Many of these peppers are great for container gardening and for short seasons with late or early frosts in the spring and fall. These easy pepper seeds will give you the confidence to grow more and more each season. Som...
Books about PeppersIf you love peppers, and love growing peppers, here are some great books about peppers! One of our favorite books about peppers was a book called Hot Peppers: The Story of Cajuns and Capsicum by Richard Schwid that goes into the history of peppers and goes into depth about Tabasco peppers. An interesting read! The whole time while reading I was craving hot sauce. Chasing Chiles: Hot Spots Along the Pepper Trail by Gary Paul Nabhan, Kraig Kraft, and Kurt Michael Friese is also good to read. ...
Fresh Tomato Salsa RecipeFresh Tomato Salsa Recipe Fresh tomatoes make the best salsa! You can make pico-de-gallo or this delicious restaurant-style salsa recipe below: 3-4 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped* 1 cup diced onion (green onions, or use a red or white onion) ¼ cup diced fresh cilantro (you can dice up stems and all!) 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (~1 lime) 1-2 jalapeño peppers* (diced, including seeds) ½ teaspoon ground cumin 1-3 cloves of garlic, minced Salt and pepper to taste *You can use any mixture o...
Short Season Pepper & Tomato Seeds on Sale!25% off Short Season Pepper & Tomato Seeds Sale! This sale is good on any of our seeds in our Short Season Peppers & Tomatoes collection » USE DISCOUNT CODE: FAST2025 You can still start super fast growing peppers and tomatoes for a harvest this summer with these short season varieties! So don't delay, order your seeds today. We have the fastest seed shipping so you can get your seeds planted sooner this season. Happy growing! Offer good from: Thursday, April 17 thru Sunday, Apri...
New Year's Gardening ResolutionsNew Year’s Gardening Resolutions: 1. I will not overwater my plants.2. I will not underwater my plants.3. I will start more seeds.4. I will grow more food.5. I will plant more native plants.6. I will make lots of compost. Happy New Year! “Anyone who thinks that gardening season begins in the spring & ends in the fall is missing the best part of the year. Gardening season begins in January with the dream.” More Garden Resolution Ideas: Use More Compost: Add or start a new compost pile or...
Colorado PeppersMany peppers grow well in Colorado, but a few have been developed specifically for Colorado's wild climate! Check out these specific peppers that grow well in Colorado: Pueblo Chile Pueblo chile is a source of pride for chile-lovers in Colorado! Farmers in Pueblo, Colorado, have been growing regionally-adapted chile peppers for decades. However, in the early 2000s Dr. Michael Bartolo, an agriculture professor at CSU, developed the Mosco chile variety which was selected from a crop of pep...
Heirloom Jalapeño SeedsSandia Seed has several varieties of Heirloom Jalapeño Seeds for your garden. Easy to grow, Jalapeño seeds come in a wide variety of colors, heat-levels, and sizes. One of our favorite Heirloom Jalapeños is the Early Jalapeno – These are one of the earliest peppers at just 65 days from seed to the first harvest. Everybody loves Jalapeños because they can be prepared in so many different ways. Jalapeño poppers, jalapeño jelly, and pickled jalapeños are just a few examples. Jalapeños have ...
Seeds to plant in JanuaryCan you plant seeds in January? Yes, because for us gardeners, it's hard to resist waiting! And there is no reason to wait. That said, in most growing regions, starting seeds outside in January isn't realistic (at least without cover, read more about that lower below.) In growing regions with cold winters, the ground is usually frozen or covered in snow, and ongoing frosts are imminent. But there are some cool weather veggies that can be started outdoors under cover, and you can start...
Fan for seedlingsIs a fan necessary for seedlings? A fan definitely helps prevent damping off, and encourages your seedlings to be much stronger and more stout (they won't get as leggy with a light breeze!)An oscillating fan simulates natural breezes that seedlings don't get when growing indoors. You don't have to run it all the time, but it definitely helps seedlings to have some movement and air circulation every day. How long should you leave a fan on your seedlings? You can also do this for ...
Winter Sowing Green OnionsYou can start green onion seeds using the Winter Sowing Method! Winter sowing is an easy and low-cost technique that produces strong onion seedlings. Here are some tips for winter sowing green onion seeds: You can use a recycled container with holes for drainage and ventilation, like a vinegar/water/milk jug or plastic salad container. Scatter the onion seeds on top of a 3-4" layer of well-draining & pre-moistened seed starting mix (don't use garden soil!) Cover the seeds with a...
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.
Recipe for Spaghetti Verde – Pasta with Cilantro, Tomatillos, Jalapenos and Olive Oil
Here is a simple recipe for Spaghetti Verde, our version is pasta tossed with roasted tomatillos, jalapenos (or other spicy green peppers such as Hatch chiles) and cilantro. This is a pesto for those who like it spicy! Ingredients: 3-5+ Tomatillos, roasted and cooled 1-3+ Jalapenos, roasted and cooled (or use any green chiles for this recipe) 3+ Garlic Cloves, roasted 1 Bunch of cilantro 1/2 Cup Olive Oil Salt and pepper to taste Nuts - optional, add toasted No Shell Raw Pepitas, pine nuts...
How to Start a Seed Library
Sharing seeds is one of the best ways for communities to share the love of gardening and growing food! Here are our top tips for starting a seed library in your community: Step 1: Find a community space for the Seed Library A well-visited community space is your best bet! Choose a venue that is free and open to the general public such as a local public library or community center.Some people are starting to create outdoor "Little Free Seed Libraries" alongside the book versions ...
Grow Hatch Chile Seeds
Grow Hatch Chile seeds in your garden this year and experience one of the best flavors in the world! Growing Hatch chile plants is easy – if you can grow other peppers or tomatoes, you have the right growing conditions for Hatch chile! Hatch Chile varieties range in heat, so you can pick out mild, medium-hot to extra hot chiles for your tastes. See all of our Hatch Chile seed varieties » If you don't live close enough to New Mexico to get chile from the farmers, then grow them! You can ...
Best Tomatoes for Salsa - Grow from seeds!
The best tomatoes for salsa include a wide range of tomato varieties. Don't limit yourself to just one kind of tomato for your salsa! Often, fresh chopped tomato salsas like pico-de-gallo are made with firm, fleshy tomatoes such as San Marzanos or Roma Tomatoes. However, this is because those are the types that you can find in the stores. But that doesn't mean they are the only (or best) tomatoes for salsa! Good heirloom tomatoes are not often available at the grocery store. But you ...
When to Top Pepper Plants
Are you thinking about topping your chilli plants? Wondering when to top your pepper plants? Our answer: Keep it simple, we say don't worry about topping your plants at all! If you grow peppers from seed – you may wonder if (and when) you should top your pepper plants. In our experience, topping pepper plants does not necessarily result in more peppers than their un-topped counterparts. If you are growing your peppers outdoors, we don't think topping is necessary. We find that toppi...
How to Prune Tomato Plants
If you grow tomato seeds, here are our top tips for how to prune tomato plants so they are more productive and healthy all season: First, you can start with pruning your young tomato plants – pruning off some of the first blossoms can help the tomato plant will help it put more energy into growing bigger. Pruning off the first blossoms on your seedlings and plants is especially good to do before transplanting, so they can spend energy getting their roots settled in before going into seed pr...
What are the best pepper seeds for beginners?
What are the best pepper seeds for beginners? Beginners should start with some of the fastest growing peppers. These peppers are great for people who are just starting to grow pepper seeds as they germinate quickly and grow into productive pepper plants even in short seasons. Many of these peppers are great for container gardening and for short seasons with late or early frosts in the spring and fall. These easy pepper seeds will give you the confidence to grow more and more each season. Som...
Books about Peppers
If you love peppers, and love growing peppers, here are some great books about peppers! One of our favorite books about peppers was a book called Hot Peppers: The Story of Cajuns and Capsicum by Richard Schwid that goes into the history of peppers and goes into depth about Tabasco peppers. An interesting read! The whole time while reading I was craving hot sauce. Chasing Chiles: Hot Spots Along the Pepper Trail by Gary Paul Nabhan, Kraig Kraft, and Kurt Michael Friese is also good to read. ...
Fresh Tomato Salsa Recipe
Fresh Tomato Salsa Recipe Fresh tomatoes make the best salsa! You can make pico-de-gallo or this delicious restaurant-style salsa recipe below: 3-4 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped* 1 cup diced onion (green onions, or use a red or white onion) ¼ cup diced fresh cilantro (you can dice up stems and all!) 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (~1 lime) 1-2 jalapeño peppers* (diced, including seeds) ½ teaspoon ground cumin 1-3 cloves of garlic, minced Salt and pepper to taste *You can use any mixture o...
Short Season Pepper & Tomato Seeds on Sale!
25% off Short Season Pepper & Tomato Seeds Sale! This sale is good on any of our seeds in our Short Season Peppers & Tomatoes collection » USE DISCOUNT CODE: FAST2025 You can still start super fast growing peppers and tomatoes for a harvest this summer with these short season varieties! So don't delay, order your seeds today. We have the fastest seed shipping so you can get your seeds planted sooner this season. Happy growing! Offer good from: Thursday, April 17 thru Sunday, Apri...
New Year's Gardening Resolutions
New Year’s Gardening Resolutions: 1. I will not overwater my plants.2. I will not underwater my plants.3. I will start more seeds.4. I will grow more food.5. I will plant more native plants.6. I will make lots of compost. Happy New Year! “Anyone who thinks that gardening season begins in the spring & ends in the fall is missing the best part of the year. Gardening season begins in January with the dream.” More Garden Resolution Ideas: Use More Compost: Add or start a new compost pile or...
Colorado Peppers
Many peppers grow well in Colorado, but a few have been developed specifically for Colorado's wild climate! Check out these specific peppers that grow well in Colorado: Pueblo Chile Pueblo chile is a source of pride for chile-lovers in Colorado! Farmers in Pueblo, Colorado, have been growing regionally-adapted chile peppers for decades. However, in the early 2000s Dr. Michael Bartolo, an agriculture professor at CSU, developed the Mosco chile variety which was selected from a crop of pep...
Heirloom Jalapeño Seeds
Sandia Seed has several varieties of Heirloom Jalapeño Seeds for your garden. Easy to grow, Jalapeño seeds come in a wide variety of colors, heat-levels, and sizes. One of our favorite Heirloom Jalapeños is the Early Jalapeno – These are one of the earliest peppers at just 65 days from seed to the first harvest. Everybody loves Jalapeños because they can be prepared in so many different ways. Jalapeño poppers, jalapeño jelly, and pickled jalapeños are just a few examples. Jalapeños have ...
Seeds to plant in January
Can you plant seeds in January? Yes, because for us gardeners, it's hard to resist waiting! And there is no reason to wait. That said, in most growing regions, starting seeds outside in January isn't realistic (at least without cover, read more about that lower below.) In growing regions with cold winters, the ground is usually frozen or covered in snow, and ongoing frosts are imminent. But there are some cool weather veggies that can be started outdoors under cover, and you can start...
Fan for seedlings
Is a fan necessary for seedlings? A fan definitely helps prevent damping off, and encourages your seedlings to be much stronger and more stout (they won't get as leggy with a light breeze!)An oscillating fan simulates natural breezes that seedlings don't get when growing indoors. You don't have to run it all the time, but it definitely helps seedlings to have some movement and air circulation every day. How long should you leave a fan on your seedlings? You can also do this for ...
Winter Sowing Green Onions
You can start green onion seeds using the Winter Sowing Method! Winter sowing is an easy and low-cost technique that produces strong onion seedlings. Here are some tips for winter sowing green onion seeds: You can use a recycled container with holes for drainage and ventilation, like a vinegar/water/milk jug or plastic salad container. Scatter the onion seeds on top of a 3-4" layer of well-draining & pre-moistened seed starting mix (don't use garden soil!) Cover the seeds with a...
