Kharif 2026 Planting Calendar for Karnataka Organic Farmers

The Kharif season is the most important cropping window in South Karnataka. It runs from June through October and depends entirely on the Southwest Monsoon — which typically arrives in Mandya and Mysuru districts between June 5 and June 15. Plan around the monsoon, not the calendar date.

Pre-Monsoon Preparation — April and May

Do not wait for the first rain to start working. These two months determine whether your Kharif season succeeds or struggles.

Soil preparation: Deep plough once in late April if you did not do it after last Rabi harvest. Let the soil bake in the sun for 2–3 weeks. This kills overwintering pests and weed seeds. Do not plough again after this — let the rain crack the surface naturally.

Compost and FYM application: Apply 2–3 tonnes of well-decomposed farm yard manure or compost per acre before the first rains. Spread evenly and let the monsoon incorporate it. If you have vermicompost, reserve it for nursery beds and transplanting holes.

Nursery beds: Prepare nursery beds for paddy, ragi, and vegetable seedlings in the last week of May. Raise beds 15 cm high, mix in fine compost, and cover with dry grass. Sow in the nursery 25–30 days before you plan to transplant to the main field.

Seed treatment (Bijamrutha): Sort saved seeds — discard any that float in water. Soak seeds in Bijamrutha (1 litre desi cow urine + 50 g lime in water) for 12 hours, then dry in shade. This primes germination and suppresses seed-borne pathogens.

June — First Sowing Window

The first significant rain signals the start. In Mandya district, monsoon onset usually falls between June 8–18.

Crops to direct-sow in June:

• Maize (sow June 10–20): Use open-pollinated varieties. Spacing 60 cm x 30 cm. Intercrop with cowpea or beans.
• Cowpea and field beans (June 10–25): Excellent nitrogen fixers — sow in alternate rows with maize.
• Sesame (June 15–25): Prefers well-drained red soils. Thin sowing — do not over-sow.
• Sunflower (June 20–30): Later planting avoids early-season aphid pressure.

Transplant paddy seedlings when nursery seedlings are 21–25 days old (late June if nursery sown in early June). Do not wait past 30 days — older seedlings recover poorly.

July — Main Planting Month

July is the highest-activity month. The monsoon is established and soil moisture is reliable.

Ragi (finger millet): The most important dry-land crop in Mandya and Mysuru districts. Transplant nursery seedlings when 25 days old, targeting the first two weeks of July. Spacing: 22 cm x 22 cm. Single seedling transplanting gives better tillering than clump planting. Apply jeevamrutha within 5 days of transplanting.

Groundnut: Direct sow in the first week of July. Spacing 30 cm x 10 cm. Requires well-drained soil — avoid low-lying or waterlogged fields.

Vegetables for home and local market:

• Okra (ladies finger): Sow July 1–15
• Cluster beans (guar): Sow July 1–20
• Ridgegourd, bittergourd, snakegourd: Sow July 10–31 in pits prepared with compost

Gap filling: Check paddy and ragi fields 10–12 days after transplanting. Fill any gaps with nursery surplus or backup seedlings. A 5% gap unfilled becomes 15% yield loss.

August — Monitoring and Canopy Management

August is less about planting and more about protecting what is growing. However, there are still sowing opportunities.

Late Kharif vegetables: Sow a second round of okra (August 1–10) and leafy greens (amaranth, fenugreek, spinach) for harvest in October. These fill income gaps between main crop harvest.

Pest scouting — the critical window: August is when stem borers, leaf folders in paddy, and aphids in groundnut peak. Walk every row once a week. If you see more than 5% damage on paddy, apply neem oil spray (3 ml per litre) in the evening. Yellow sticky traps at crop height catch thrips and whiteflies before populations explode.

Intercrop management: Thin sesame if stands are too dense. Earth up maize rows to support roots against lodging in heavy August rains.

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September — Late Kharif Sowing

By September, the monsoon is weakening. This is the window for crops that need cooler, drier conditions to mature.

Coriander: Sow September 15 – October 1. Coriander needs slightly cooler temperatures to bolt slowly. September sowing in Mandya produces a better crop than July sowing.

Tomato nursery: Sow tomato nursery in late September for transplanting in October–November (Rabi season). Raise on elevated beds to avoid waterlogging.

Short-duration greens: Radish, methi, palak for quick October harvest and income.

October — Harvest Begins, Rabi Preparation

Most Kharif crops reach harvest stage in October. Ragi is typically harvested October 15 – November 15 depending on variety. Maize in October. Groundnut in late October.

Post-harvest soil care: Do not leave fields bare. Immediately sow a green manure crop (dhaincha, sunhemp) or mulch with crop residue. This protects soil from drying post-monsoon winds and builds organic matter before Rabi.

Rabi soil prep begins: As each plot is harvested, apply jeevamrutha drench and prepare seedbeds for Rabi sowing.

Key Dates Summary

Crop	Sow / Transplant	Harvest Window
Paddy	Late June transplant	October–November
Ragi	July 1–15 transplant	October 15–November 15
Maize	June 10–20 direct sow	October
Groundnut	July 1–7 direct sow	Late October
Okra (round 1)	July 1–15	August–September
Coriander	September 15 – October 1	November

Plan with the monsoon. Organic farming rewards those who observe their land closely and respond early. The calendar is a guide — your farm tells you the exact date.