We mulched all of our plants with rice hulls this summer. I used to use rice straw to mulch but last summer we had the worst rodent year ever. The straw around the plants made the perfect little mouse and vole habitat. I lost about four 2lb plants because the stalks got stripped and then when they started to bud the plants just died. This year with the rice hulls we have not had any chewed stalks. I will probably just turn the hulls into the soil in the spring when I am re-amending.
Interesting. Never heard of rice straw. The stalks, I assume? Is it like other kids of straw? I have heard awful things about mulching with straw... sucks N away from your plants... and I have heard about similar rodent problems.