Rice Cultivation

October 9, 2003 Photo Update


Here's a quick follow-up for the 2003 growing season. The rice did very well, although one variety did not produce ripe heads. I attribute that to a cool, rainy summer. Worldwide, there are thousands of varieties of traditional rice; each well adjusted to its own environment. It's important to choose a rice that fits your location and climate. Most rice seed suppliers, like Bountiful Gardens, list the length of the growing season on the seed packet.

The buckwheat was difficult to harvest and hand-winnow as a serious food-crop, but it made an excellent organic bed of green manure, and the seeds were easy to pick and store, for next year's planting. I tilled the straw into the soil, during a dry period in late October. By late November, the garlic was planted and covered with a blanket of wheat straw, before the ground froze, the snow fell, and another cycle in The Garden was complete.


I've received some interesting advice about growing rice successfully, directly in the soil. So far as I know, rice can and is grown commercially in the field, in some areas of the world. But, in most temperate areas, I would advise looking into other grains for field cultivation; such as millet, wheat, oats, barley and maize. They've been grown that way for centuries and likely for good reasons.

Notwithstanding, we'll try a few more soil cultivated experiments in 2004.



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