Anyone Growing Rice?

20 years ago

I'd like to grow a pot of rice in my garden pond (more for aesthetic reasons and to entertain the goldfish than to fill my stomach), but am having difficulties finding seed locally.

My research indicates that it's not just a matter of whacking in a few seeds of supermarket brown/white/wild rice, but that I need to procure unprocessed "rice in the hull" to have any success.

To save me the trouble of jumping in the ute and driving down to the Riverina, does anyone here have access to a handful of viable grains that I could beg, borrow or buy?

Regards to all,

Shax

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Comments (11)

popi_gw
20 years ago
Sounds like a great plan...I would like to grow some rice too. I guess you are planning to immerse the pot in your pond, brilliant idea.

I await with anticipation to see if anyone comes up with some ideas.

P
cosmicgardener
20 years ago
Me too - and my goldfish.
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karl_a
20 years ago
Hi shax,
I put some store bought rice in a fish tank years ago to feed some vegetarian fish and much to my surprise they sprouted. Can't remember if it was brown or white. But chuck some in a bowl of water and see what happens, although beaten up to remove the outer seed layers the business part of the seed remains and should be viable.

They were quite nice plants once they got going.

Karl
cosmicgardener
20 years ago
That sounds like an idea Karl - tell me how do you know tell if your fish are vegetarians? I don't feed mine - they survive on algae and duckweed and heven knows what, but I wondered if they are longing for a pork chop ;-)
shaxhome (Frog Rock, Australia 9b)
Original Author
20 years ago
Karl,
thanks for that...will give it a go tonight...nothing ventured, nothing gained...I figure that if I can get one lot to grow I'll be able to save seeds eventually...

Regards,

Shax
Spatzbear
20 years ago
Cosmic, your fish like juicy caterpillars. Julie tried it when she had a chat with your fish. :)
cosmicgardener
20 years ago
So now I know they are not vegans! Little buggers - now I suppose I'll have to give them a pork chop before they bite the hand that feeds them.........not that I do. They tell me they have a memory span of 3 seconds, so they won't remember..won't remember..won't remember....
popi_gw
20 years ago
I am going to fling some rice in a bowl and see how I go.

Then I will have some nice,rice in a trice, that should surfice ! Alright !

Popi
karl_a
20 years ago
Hi Cosmic,
Depends on the breed of the fish. Just like humans they range from vegan through to the solely carnivorous. But most are somewhere in between. Gold fish eat anything but are more vegetarian inclined!

To tell the truth I can't remember which fish I was trying to feed when I put rice in the tank.

ciao
Karl
shaxhome (Frog Rock, Australia 9b)
Original Author
20 years ago
Well, some of those rice seeds I put in a bowl of water last Thurs are sprouting! (5 days).
For anyone interested, it appears to be only the brown rice ones...nothing from the white.

Am going to fill a 10" pot with soil/compost, scatter seeds on top and cover with a light sprinkling of seed-raising mix.
Then place pot in tray full of water until osmosis thoroughly soaks soil mix.
I figure I'll know when roots are strong enough to submerge the lot in the pond (maybe coupla weeks?)

Will advise of any progress!

Regards,

Shax
popi_gw
20 years ago
Exciting news Shaxhome, so brown rice is the go. Thanks for paving the way.