Hi, I’m Mariko, a permaculturist sharing “play, live, work, and learn” from New Zealand!
Rice harvest season is approaching.
Yes. I’m growing rice. In New Zealand.
Rice Growing in New Zealand
The seeds (seed rice) found their way to me through a wonderful connection. I was told late September to early October is the right time to plant — so I went for it!
It’s autumn here in New Zealand now. It should be around harvest time.
But let me give you the result first… the yield might be less than 1%. (crying)
I’ve been waiting and waiting for the grains to fill in, but it’s not looking good…
Still, I’m choosing to see this as a permaculture experiment — failures included — and I want to bring this experience into next year.
It Was Going Well Until April
The leaves were growing lush and green — it was such a joy to check on them every morning.
Hmm, though I did put too many seedlings in one pot. Lesson learned.
Then Autumn Came, and Something Changed
As the Southern Hemisphere autumn deepened, I noticed something different about the heads. They were turning brown and patchy.
“Is this… okay?”
There were plenty of heads on the plants. But when I touched them — almost all empty. No sign of grains forming at all. Green on the outside, hollow on the inside. Such a sad feeling.
Is it going to fill in eventually…???
The small bucket with clay soil — actually had the most grain in it.
Why Did This Happen? (My Theory)
I have two ideas.
First: nighttime temperatures. Whanganui can reach some of the highest daytime temperatures in New Zealand. But at night, it might get cooler than I expected compared to the northern North Island. From what I’ve heard, temperature during pollination is really important for rice. (Though I honestly don’t know the details.)
Second: overcrowding. I had so many seeds that I ended up planting too many in each bucket.
I wonder — if I leave the roots in the ground, could they regenerate?
I’ll Try Again Next Year
In permaculture, the first year is for observation. You don’t interfere — you just watch.
These seeds didn’t grow up in this land. I didn’t know if they could thrive here at all. This was a year of watching what happens when you let nature do its thing, without adding anything extra.
So no, I’m not giving up.
Next time: fewer plants per bucket, more space to breathe. More careful attention to Whanganui’s seasons. And I trust that after a year of struggle, the joy of a good harvest will be that much sweeter. (At least, I believe so.)
