In our Zone 6 climate, rice seed is started indoors in early April by soaking it in a solution of EM* and water (1:1000); rinsing and refreshing the solution daily. When the seed germinates (5-10 days), it is sown 1-2 grains per plug in trays that sit in shallow, warm water. Early fertility is provided in the seed-starting mix, and supplemented during the early growth stage with a mixture of alfalfa tea and EM.
In early June, seedlings are transplanted about 30 cm (1 ft) apart into paddies of rich mud topped with 10-15cm (4-6 in) of sun-warmed water. At this time they receive a good dose of nitrogen. (We use Nutriwave, an organic, pelletized chicken manure, at 30 kg/acre.) Plants expand quickly and begin to develop seed heads by late July, at which time they receive another dose of nitrogen. When the seed heads droop with the weight of ripened seeds and the stalks have turned yellow, the plants are ready to harvest.
For a more detailed description of the rice growing procedure, see the source of our initial knowledge "Rice Growing Manual for the Northeast USA" by Takeshi & Linda Akaogi (https://www.uvm.edu/~lhill/ricegrowingmanual copy.pdf) and follow our 2023 serial blog "Growing Paddy Rice in Nova Scotia."
*EM (Effective Micro-organisms) are explained and made available in the Plant Health Category.
