Anyone grown Rice?

I wondered about converting one of my raised beds into a lined, wet, bed for rice. We eat quite a lot of rice (probably 20kg per year), and there is the world of difference between supermarket's Own Brand and a quality brand ... so I thought to perhaps try growing my own.

No idea what is involved, and whether my clay soil, submerged, is going to be any good or just a wreck. No idea about crop rotation either, changing the soil won't be very easy ...

This seed supplier (Japanese rice) is what caught my eye:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/400167283433

 

This may help.
http://www.kew.org/plant-cultures/plants/rice_grow_it.html

 

Not grown it myself, but there was a programme on before Christmas with Adam Henson and Nigel Slater and they tried growing it. It was a disaster. Apparently rice needs very hot and humid conditions, they grew there's in a poly tunnel to try and emulate these conditions. There whole crop failed.

Rusty

 

Getting hold of the water buffalos so you can weed and plant the crop is probably the hardest part.

 

You'll need on of these first Kristen !
I have driven past the rice fields in Italy and I think they grow it in the south of France. Not sure wether our climate would be suitable . Although we do have acres of paddy fields at the moment .

 

Hmm, minimum 10c and it'll die over winter due to lack of light, tricky one.

 

I think you would need to research the varieties grown in cooler, drier countries for a start.