Vietnam rice farming has often been likened to one of those two-basket panniers the Vietnamese use to carry things – they look rather like a justice scale with the fulcrum on the shoulder.
This is because the Mekong in the south and the Red River in the north are indeed rice baskets, producing vast quantities of grain that feed the rest of Vietnam.
With a few possible variations, these are the steps required to grow rice.
How to grow rice in Vietnam
Dig small channels in the mud to help dry the field
Clean the paddy walls of old growth
Plow the paddy twice with a pair of water buffalo
Smooth out the paddy so that its absolutely flat and therefore evenly moist
Dig and fertilize rice seedling beds along one side of the field
germinate the rice for 48 hours.
Plant rice in seedling beds
After rice is 4-6 inches tall, pull it up, bundle it, and carry it out into the main fields.
Replant 3-5 seedlings at a time approximately 6 inches apart in every available inch of field
Fertilize regularly with cow manure or night waste
Weed around each cluster of seedlings several times as they grow taller.
Add water regularly to paddy, using a scoop if necessary
When rice is ripe, harvest with a sharp, curved knife and bundle into sheaves
Thrash rice to remove it from the plant.
Dry rice in the sun
Thresh rice to separate it from the husks
Winnow rice to remove the husks
Store in a dry place.
If you want to choice an in-depth understanding of Vietnamese food culture, rice farming and want to learn how to grow wet rice in Vietnam , let’s book wet rice growing tour with Family Tiny Garden Homestay. Please note that rice in Vietnam is also very important to Vietnamese way of life and Vietnam is a country with rich wet rice growing culture.