Q&A for How to Grow Rice

It may be possible to grow rice from grocery store rice, if it’s fresh enough. Look for organically grown long grain brown rice; many home gardeners find the organic brown rice tends to sprout more than conventional varieties of long grain brown rice from the grocery store. You won’t be able to grow rice from white rice, polished rice or parboiled rice, because these types of rice have been processed. Generally though, it’s best to purchase rice seed, as it’ll be guaranteed ready to grow.

Plant the seeds throughout the soil, then use thinning of the seedlings to get the spacing right for optimal growth. Thin out seedlings no more than 4 inches (10.2 cm) apart in rows that range between 9 to 12 inches (22.9 to 30.5 cm) apart. This will be sufficient to allow the remaining seedlings to grow into strong plants.

Rice comes from many different growing regions across the world, including Asia, the Middle East, Australia, North America, etc. It is usually grown in paddies or rice fields, which are flooded with water to keep the roots of the rice moist. More details on growing rice yourself are explained in the article above.

You can grow rice at home, such as in a bucket or similar container where it’s easy to keep the rice wet. If you want a rice field or paddy, you’ll need enough suitable space that can be flooded with water, which is usually a farm option only, or perhaps a hobby farm.

To grow rice, you’ll need rice seed, soil, a suitable container if it’s a home project or a field you can flood if it’s a serious farming endeavor, water, digging tools, fertilizer and harvesting tools or machinery.

You can harvest the rice after about 3 or 4 months. Although, make sure you drain the water out first.

Typically, about 3 or 4 months.

This is old way of during it. During 1960s, SRI tech was introduced and now machines are available for sowing and harvesting.

The roots of the rice need constant moisture, and can't be left dry. There are some types of rice that have been made to grow in dry conditions, such as rice grown in Australia. If you are interested in that variety, do some research.

Once rice has been cut, dried, boiled and then cooked, the only reason it would spoil would be contamination after the rice was boiled. If you're refrigerating the rice after cooking, try cleaning your fridge to remove any possible contaminants.

Rice grows well in slightly acidic pH, but can grow in the 5-8 pH range. The growing of rice causes reduction of a number of ions such as nitrates, sulphates, iron, manganese etc. in the soil.

You get the pleasure of producing your own food. If you like gardening, this could be an interesting challenge. If you grow a lot, you could even sell it!

You can use your hand by cutting the rice with a hand knife or use a machine (reaper).

It takes 4 - 5 months from planting to harvest.

A rice field generally requires irrigation (although some rice varieties can be grown dry). The cost of water has to be factored into growing a rice field, along with maintenance, cost of rice for growing, harvesting labor, etc. The expense will vary depending on whether you have access to free, cheap or costly water, and whether or not you have free or paid labor and machinery to harvest the rice. Moreover, where the field is will have an impact on cost; if it's a traditional rice-growing region, it'll cost less to prepare the field than somewhere that's never had rice grown before.

Over 3.5 billion people rely on rice as a source of principal sustenance around the world (Ricepedia, n.d.).

1 rice plant gives about 45-60 grains, so about a few grams per plant. It also depends on the plant variety, like basmati and so on.

The hydroponics won’t give enough moisture. For best results, water it as well as hydroponics, so it gets enough water. As for the lighting, you would need a grow light or sunlight for optimal growth.

Seeding rates differ somewhat for hybrid rice varieties, which Street says should be planted at 30 pounds per acre, or about 14 seeds per square foot. A seeding rate of 14 seeds per square foot usually results in a stand of 8 to 10 plants per square foot.