Sowing time:
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1. May-July (for Autumn – Winter crop i.e., main season crop)
2. October-November (for Spring – Summer crop)
3. February-March (for Summer-Rainy crop)
4. The crop can be grown round the year in mild climate of Karnataka and West Bengal. In the hills, seeds are sown in April.

Land preparation:
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1. Prepare the land in well advance with repeated ploughings (at least 4-5 ploughing) to a fine tilth.
2. Remove all stubbles, weeds etc. and level the land.
3. Add well rotten organic manure preferably farm yard manure or compost @ 20-25 t/ha during land preparation and level the land properly.

Transplanting:
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1. 25-35 days old, healthy seedlings of 15 cm height are ready for planting.
2. After hardening the seedlings for 7 days, irrigate the seed bed before lifting to facilitate easy pulling of young seedlings.
3. Plant the seedlings in the field preferably during afternoon hours which give better field establishment.
4. Irrigate the field just after transplanting.

Spacing:
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1. Round fruited improved varieties and hybrids: 90 cm x 90 cm
2. Vigorous growing cultivars : 75 cm x 60 cm
3. Semi vigorous and midseason cultivars : 60 cm x 60 cm
4. Long fruited cultivars : 60 cm x 45 cm
5. Early and dwarf types : 45 cm x 45 cm.