Grow rice by turning your bucket into a miniature rice paddy.
With its beginnings in China in 2500 B.C., rice continues as a source of food for more people than any other crop. In fact, billions of people depend on rice for food. Because of its versatility, rice grows all around the world, except for Antarctica because of the frigid temperatures there. Although rice grows ideally in long, warm growing seasons, such as in the southern states of the U.S. or in California, if you grow your own rice in a pot, you actually make a portable rice paddy you can place in any warm area. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Clean out any large plastic bucket you may have around the house. Ensure the bucket does not have holes in the bottom. A plastic, empty laundry detergent bucket will work successfully, for instance.
2. Add about 6 inches of potting soil or dirt to your bucket.
3. Add enough water to your bucket until the water reaches 2 inches above the surface of the soil.
4. Sprinkle a small handful of organic, long-grain brown rice into your bucket. The rice will settle on top of the soil beneath the water.
5. Place your bucket in a sunny spot outside, or inside under plant grow lights to keep the rice warm. Your rice needs a temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. At night, move the bucket to a warm place.
6. Keep the water level 2 inches above the soil until you have a strong rice growth.
7. Increase the water level to 4 inches above the soil when your rice plants reach 5 to 6 inches, and then let the water decrease slowly until ready to harvest, in about 4 months. There should not be any standing water left by that time.
8. Cut your rice stalks using garden shears when the stalks change from their green color to a brownish gold, meaning the rice is ready to harvest.
9. Wrap your cut stalks in newspaper and allow them to dry in a warm area for two to three weeks.
10. Place your rice in an oven at 200 F to roast for an hour. Roasting the rice makes removing the tough hulls effortless. Remove the green-brown rice hulls by hand. You now have long-grain brown rice to cook with or to store for use later.
11. Store your uncooked brown rice for up to six months in your pantry in airtight containers. Extend the shelf life by storing your rice in the freezer or refrigerator. Store your cooked brown rice in the refrigerator for five days or in the freezer for up to six months.
Tags: your bucket, brown rice, your rice, inches above, above soil, inches above soil, level inches