Spinach Vine Seeds

Growing instructions: Seeds need about 3-4 weeks of cold stratification to germinate. The easiest way to start these is to let nature cold stratify the seeds for you. Sow the seeds in a small pot outdoors in fall to early spring (October to March on the west coast of Canada. Essentially you want a few weeks of temperatures that get down to freezing or just above). Cold temperatures will stratify the seeds naturally, and they will sprout when it warms up.

If you want to start them indoors, you can use a fridge to cold stratify. Sow in damp, sterile potting mix in a small pot, and put the pot in a ziploc bag. Place in fridge 30 days. They should sprout around 3-4 weeks, but check regularly in case they sprout early. If you used paper towel instead of potting soil, carefully transfer sprouted seeds to a small pot, or plant the whole sheet of paper towel if the roots have developed already.

The young seedlings are delicate- don't let them dry out, get scorched by strong sun, or get too waterlogged. Once the seedlings develop true leaves, they can be pricked out into their own pots or planted in the ground.

Caucasian spinach does not like heavy, damp soils. Ensure it is planted in a well draining spot. You can plant it on a small mound if your soil is very heavy or wet. It is slow growing in its first year, but will eventually form a large clump that can be divided with a shovel to make more plants.

By placing an order, customers agree to the shipping & refund policies detailed on this page.

Most orders are sent via Canada Post to keep costs low.

 

Shipping within Canada 

We ship seeds in Canada via Canada Post's regular letter mail, which is an untracked service, and usually takes 1-4 weeks to arrive once we fulfill your order, but occasionally letter mail takes up to 6 weeks, especially to the Eastern provinces and rural areas.

Customers can now opt for tracked, express shipping options at checkout if you require faster delivery and/or tracking.

Larger bulbs and plants are usually sent via tracked flat rate box.

 

Shipping to the US

UPDATE FEB 2, 2026: WE ARE TAKING A BREAK ON ACCEPTING US ORDERS DUE TO ISSUES WITH USPS

Sign up to receive an email when we open US shipping again.

We require all US shoppers to obtain a Small Seed Lot Import Permit before we can mail your seeds. It's free to apply, and you will likely be granted the permit instantly,  although some require additional verification via mail.

We recommend obtaining a permit BEFORE placing your order.

Please email your permit and shipping label PDFs to us promptly before or after you order.

If you do not email us your permit documents after one week, we will refund your order minus a $10 processing charge.

How to apply for your Small Seed Lot Import Permit:

1. Please follow these instructions carefully so you don't end up with the wrong type of permit!
2. Go to https://efile.aphis.usda.gov/s/
3. Select PPQ-587 in the dropdown menu and click "Get Started".
4. Please use the exact same name and address as on your order.
5. Login and follow the instructions to obtain a permit.
6. Under the Commodity Type drop down, make sure you select the "Small Lots of Seed". See screenshot below.
7. It's best to list "Eligible Taxa" instead of listing all the species you'd like to import so you don't need to worry about missing any species you ordered.
8. Once you receive your permit, promptly email us 2 PDFs: a copy of your permit and a copy of the yellow/green shipping labels. Tell us which USDA station you want us to send the seeds to. If not mentioned we will choose one close to you. Our email is grow@cicadaseeds.ca
9. Once we've accepted your documents, please contact the plant inspection station we are shipping to and let them know to expect your shipment. Station phone numbers can be found here (Scroll down to the "Contact Us" section near the bottom and select the state). This reminds stations to check for your package, otherwise they may forget about it. 

What happens next?

After receiving your documentation, we will mail your seeds to an inspection facility in the US. We will ship via tracked parcel, and you will receive the tracking number when your order has shipped. Orders will be mailed first to a plant inspection facility in the US. You will receive a delivery notification to the STATION, not your address. So don't worry if your package has been "delivered" but you can't find it anywhere in your yard. The station will then inspect your seeds then forward the package to your address via regular mail without tracking available.

The mail and inspection process can take several weeks, depending on how long the inspection takes.

Unfortunately we are not able to replace seeds that are confiscated, destroyed, or returned by US customs or USPS, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order. We do our very best to follow the regulations, but occasionally USDA staff or USPS will destroy seeds without cause. We want to keep making our seeds available to the US, but to do so we must let the customer accept this risk. Thanks for your understanding.

Need help? Contact the APHIS plant permit team at:

EMAIL: plantproducts.permits@usda.gov

PHONE: 877-770-5990

 

Shipping Internationally

International customers can select tracked or untracked shipping at checkout. The package will list the contents as "Garden Seeds". It is your responsibility to ensure you have the required import permit. We are not able to send any live plant materials internationally. Cicada Seeds will not be responsible for any orders held or confiscated by customs, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order.

International shipping countries include: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom.

This list may change without notice. Sometimes Canada Post will not allow us to ship to certain countries due to wars or natural disasters, see this page for delivery service alerts.

Please reach out if your country is not on this list, email us and we will try to arrange an alternate shipping option. 

 

Refund Policy

Refunds: We stand behind our seeds, so if for some reason you are not satisfied with your purchase, please reach out to us via email and we will do our best to make it right. Please note that shipping costs are non-refundable. 

Cancelled orders: If you wish to cancel an order after purchasing, we may refund your order minus card processing and admin fees at our discretion. We do not accept returns on seeds or plants.

Refused orders: We cannot issue a refund if you refuse to accept an order we've sent to you, or made available for local pickup. 

Incorrect addresses: Please double check your mailing address, and let us know ASAP if you've entered an incorrect address at checkout. We may need to charge for additional shipping fees to resend orders.

Seeds are grown ecologically without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers.