My bath tub rice 'paddy'
Every year I try to grow something that I haven't grown before. Sometimes the new plants are a success, sometimes a failure. Sometimes they are a one off and sometimes they become a favourite. I have grown peanuts and popcorn which we always plant now even if they don't offer a lot for the space they take up.
This season's novelty in the garden is my rice 'paddy'. I am growing rice in an old cast iron bath tub. So far so good. It sprouted well and has been enjoying the wet weather and the resulting humidity. I don't think my bath tub rice growing experiment will revolutionise the Australian rice industry but it adds an element of interest to the garden.
My steps to start the rice were:
1. Fill an old tub with compost and soil.
2. Soak some brown rice for about 12 hours. Organic rice is probably the best as it may be the least processed.
3.Water the tub until it is sodden and then scatter the soaked rice on top.
4. The rice sprouted in a few days and has been growing nicely since.
Just like all gardeners, I am hopeful of a bumper crop but even one head of rice will be nice.
Tracy