What Does Rice Hull Mean?
Rice hulls (sometimes referred to as rice husks) are the protective materials covering grains of rice. Rice hulls protect rice as it's growing, but are indigestible by humans, so the rice must undergo a milling process.
During the milling process, the rice hulls are removed and then re-purposed by various industries. Rice hulls can be used as building materials, fuel, plant fertilizer, insulation, and more.
In gardening, rice hull is often added to potting mixes for drainage purposes. Rice hull is a very popular option among growers since this renewable resource is quite inexpensive and readily available.
Maximum Yield Explains Rice Hull
Some gardeners also add rice hull to peat mix, which consequently enables them to use less mix and save up on potting soil components.
Along with its ability to enhance a grow medium's draining properties, rice hull has also been known to add nutrients to the plants while lightening the overall mix.
According to botanists, rice hull can additionally provide organic matter as they are decomposing, which can aid in boosting plant development and growth. More importantly, hulls are readily available and quite inexpensive.
To cut back on costs, some gardeners choose to hull their own rice by drying and parboiling the grains before adding the hulls to potting mixes. Because rice hulls tend to swell up when wet, around half a pound can be enough for around 20 gallons of coco coir.
