Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

homestead - Re: [Homestead] Additional Rice Information

homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Homestead mailing list

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: <eureka AT hctc.net>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Additional Rice Information
  • Date: Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:15:56 -0600

Thanks, Lynda, very interesting. I think I will start mine in late March. Don't think I will seed by airplane, though <g> but I am thinking of sewing by hand rather than take up so much greenhouse room. I'm all for minimal maintenance. I think one of the concerns is not walking around squashing the plants as they come up, and with my round metal pond I could balance a big board or a ladder across it and perhaps do any thinning from it without putting a foot inside. I'll see if I can find that issue of OG.

--Sage

On Sun, 2 Nov 2008 15:40:12 -0800
"Lynda" <lurine AT softcom.net> wrote:
In the valley, in California, where tons of rice is grown, they seed in March. They are done and harvest in September. The average temps run between 75 and 100 during those months. Hitting 90s regularly in July, August and September.

Of course, one of the characteristics of that northern end of what is known as "The Valley" in California is that it is quite humid. So that 90 feels like 110!

http://www.calrice.org/c5_how_rice_grows.htm

Now, in an OLD issue of Organic Gardening (Dec 1975) has an article on growing rice.

And another sourc of information, or rather a source that lists sources is Carla Emory's Encyclopedia of Country Living. She has a section on rice growing.

As to water, here's an interesting article http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/index.cfm?uNewsID=114481

Lynda, whose kids grew rice in a window as part of a science project.
----- Original Message ----- From: "EarthNSky" <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
To: <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 8:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Homestead] Additional Rice Information


I gleaned this from two different sites and it confused me a bit. Both
sites were worded the same Rice grows at temps above...blah blah. I
think the 50 degrees is a germination temp and the 75 is a 'grows well
at minimum temp' As you know, it gets a whole lot hotter than that in
places where rice is typically grown. I think those are minimum temps.


eureka AT hctc.net wrote:
On Sun, 02 Nov 2008 01:13:01 -0500
EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net> wrote:
Rice needs a minimum temp of 50-55 degrees to germinate
and grow.
During active growth, temps need to be near 75

Sounds like I will need to plant in the spring instead of
summer, that's when our temps are in this range. By May,
it's too hot. The seeds will have to go in production
about the same time as everything else--I'm wondering if
I'll have room in the green house. If my calculations are
correct (9 per sf), I would need 1,593 rice plants to fill
177 sf at 4 inches spacing. That would be about 25 flats
of rice plants! I'm wondering if I could use a hybrid
method with Fukuoka's and just seed directly.

Direct seeding may actually be better for small scale homestead apps,
but that is something we will have to decide individually. Easier work,
shorter season, but less yield.




He writes "Of course the usual method is to keep several
inches of water in the paddy throughout the growing
season. Farmers have been growing rice in water for so
many centuries that most people believe that it cannot be
grown any other way". According to him, "Rice plants grow
best when the water content in the soil is between 60 and
80 percent of its water holding capacity. When the field
is not flooded, the plants develop stronger roots and are
extremely resistant to attacks by disease and insects". He
only holds water for one week in June (that's Japan's
monsoon season) to kill dry-field weeds. (not sure what
month this would correspond to our respective climates).

Where was Fukuoka in Japan?
http://www.jelitto.com/english/japan.htm




He has already interplanted with clover, and the water
knocks back the clover, allowing the rice to get
established, and once it does, the clover fills in again
as a cover crop helping to retain the moisture in the
soil. I presuming he is using a short type of clover.
Using his method, the plants are more compact, making less
straw, but about the same amount of grain.


It would seem to me that the while the clover prevents weeds, it would
also inhibit tillering, no? Does he mention that?


--
“Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to
hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Yoda
_______________________________________________
Homestead list and subscription:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
Change your homestead list member options:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/lurine%40softcom.net
View the archives at:
https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead




--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.549 / Virus Database: 270.8.5/1756 - Release Date: 10/30/2008 7:59 AM


_______________________________________________
Homestead list and subscription:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
Change your homestead list member options:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/eureka%40hctc.net
View the archives at:
https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead







Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page