Rice

• About 30 seeds/g
• Days to maturity are from transplant. Add 20 days for direct seeding.

Grow rice in the Northeast! All four of our rices were grown in central Maine, Zone 5a/4b.

Lowland varieties are traditionally grown in wet clay paddies or riparian areas, although flooding is not necessary. They are typically shorter and produce more tillers than upland rice, 30-50 per plant.

Upland varieties grow in drier conditions, but also do well in flooded clay paddies. Upland rice is taller and has fewer tillers than lowland. Each tiller is thicker and will produce more seeds, 12-24 tillers per plant.

Culture: For both types, a rotation of saturated and very short (a few days) dry periods is ideal from late May to June. After that, cycling water patterns is less important but still helpful. Keep paddies flooded (but not stagnant) if you can. Dryness during the second half of the summer shouldn’t effect yields much, just maturation time and weed pressure. For transplants, start at 70-85° indoors 4-5 weeks before setting out into rich moist warm soil (early June in Maine). Space plants 10-12" apart in full sun. May be direct seeded in warmer regions. Heads the first week of August and finishes by late September If you live in a dry place, add 1-2 weeks to maturity dates.

Japanese varieties are the easiest for post-harvest processing

Want help processing your rice? Contact wildfolkfarmers@gmail.com.