In India, seed starting is based on Rabi (Oct–Mar), Kharif (Jun–Sep) and Zaid (Feb–Jun) seasons — not frost dates. Select your state and vegetable below to get your exact sowing date, transplant date and harvest window — calculated live from today’s date, works any year.
Seed Starting Date Calculator
India Edition
Get exact indoor sowing dates, transplant dates and harvest windows for 25+ vegetables by state. Covers all 3 Indian seasons — dynamic results from today’s date, every year.
Select your state
India has large climate variation — Madanapalle needs different dates than Delhi or Mumbai. Your state sets the Rabi, Kharif and Zaid windows.
Choose your vegetable
25+ crops covered. Each has specific germination time, indoor weeks and days-to-maturity. Season auto-suggests when you pick a crop.
Confirm or pick the season
The tool auto-picks the best season for your crop. You can override it. An instant warning appears if the combination is wrong — no silent bad advice.
Click Calculate
No form submission, no browser popups. The button runs directly — results appear on the same page instantly.
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Sow date · transplant date · first harvest · harvest window end · expert tip · warning if season window is closed with exact days until it reopens.
How does this calculator work?
India’s calculator anchors on monsoon (Kharif), post-monsoon cooling (Rabi) and pre-monsoon heat (Zaid) — not frost dates. State windows are sourced from ICAR regional vegetable production guidelines and IMD monsoon onset data. All calculations run from your actual chosen date using exact month arithmetic — precise any year.
These three windows replace “frost dates” in Indian gardening. Every crop fits into one or more.
| Crop (Hindi) | Season | Sowing Window | Method | Germination | Days to Harvest | North India | South India |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato (Tamatar) | Rabi | Sep–Nov | Transplant | 7–14 days | 70–90 DTM | Oct–Nov | Sep–Jan |
| Chilli (Mirchi) | Kharif | Mar–Jun | Transplant | 7–14 days | 90–120 DTM | May–Jun | Mar–Jun |
| Capsicum | Rabi | Jun–Aug (indoor) | Transplant | 10–14 days | 75–90 DTM | Jul–Aug | Jun–Aug |
| Brinjal (Baingan) | Kharif/Rabi | Jun–Jul, Sep–Oct | Transplant | 7–12 days | 60–90 DTM | Jun–Jul | Year-round |
| Okra (Bhindi) | Kharif/Zaid | Feb–Jun | Direct | 4–7 days | 45–60 DTM | Apr–Jun | Feb–Jun |
| Spinach (Palak) | Rabi | Oct–Feb | Direct | 5–10 days | 25–40 DTM | Oct–Jan | Nov–Feb |
| Methi (Fenugreek) | Rabi | Oct–Feb | Direct | 3–5 days | 25–30 DTM | Oct–Nov | Nov–Jan |
| Coriander (Dhaniya) | Rabi/Any | Oct–Feb, Jul–Aug | Direct | 7–10 days | 30–40 DTM | Oct–Dec | Year-round |
| Radish (Mooli) | Rabi | Oct–Jan | Direct | 4–7 days | 25–45 DTM | Oct–Dec | Nov–Jan |
| Carrot (Gajar) | Rabi | Sep–Nov | Direct | 10–14 days | 70–80 DTM | Sep–Oct | Oct–Nov |
| Peas (Matar) | Rabi | Oct–Nov | Direct | 5–10 days | 60–90 DTM | Oct–Nov | Dec–Jan only |
| Cauliflower | Rabi | Aug–Sep | Transplant | 5–8 days | 60–90 DTM | Aug–Sep | Oct–Nov |
| Cabbage | Rabi | Sep–Nov | Transplant | 5–8 days | 60–80 DTM | Sep–Oct | Oct–Nov |
| Cucumber (Kheera) | Zaid/Kharif | Feb–Jun | Direct | 5–7 days | 45–55 DTM | Mar–Apr | Feb–May |
| Bitter Gourd (Karela) | Kharif/Zaid | Mar–Jun | Direct | 7–10 days | 55–65 DTM | Apr–May | Mar–May |
| Bottle Gourd (Lauki) | Kharif/Zaid | Feb–Jun | Direct | 7–10 days | 55–65 DTM | Mar–May | Feb–Jun |
| Ridge Gourd (Turai) | Kharif | Mar–Jun | Direct | 7–10 days | 50–60 DTM | Apr–May | Mar–Jun |
| Onion (Pyaaz) | Rabi | Oct–Nov | Transplant | 8–12 days | 120–150 DTM | Oct–Nov | Oct–Dec |
| Garlic (Lehsun) | Rabi | Oct–Nov | Direct | 10–14 days | 140–160 DTM | Oct–Nov | Oct–Nov |
| French Beans | Rabi/Zaid | Sep–Nov, Feb–Mar | Direct | 5–7 days | 50–60 DTM | Sep–Oct | Sep–Nov |
| Mint (Pudina) | Any | Year-round | Cutting | 7–14 days | 30–40 DTM | Mar–Apr best | Year-round |
| Amaranth (Chaulai) | Kharif/Zaid | Apr–Sep | Direct | 4–6 days | 25–35 DTM | May–Jul | Apr–Aug |
| Beetroot (Chukandar) | Rabi | Oct–Dec | Direct | 7–14 days | 55–70 DTM | Oct–Nov | Nov–Dec |
DTM = Days to Maturity. From seed for direct sow; from transplant for transplanted crops. Source: ICAR vegetable crop guidelines & KVK data.
South India (AP, TG, TN, KA, KL) — milder climate, two monsoons. Oct–Feb is peak window.
| Month | Sow Now | Producing | City Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan–Feb | Tomato, coriander, spinach | Brinjal, chilli, beans | Bangalore: ideal for peas |
| Mar–Apr | Cucumber, bitter gourd, okra | Tomato peak | Chennai: reduce watering |
| May–Jun | Gourds, chilli (indoor) | Cucumber, okra peak | Kerala: pre-monsoon prep |
| Jul–Aug | Brinjal, chilli transplant | Gourds peak | TN/AP: NE monsoon Oct |
| Sep–Oct | Tomato, coriander, spinach | Brinjal, chilli | Start Rabi early |
| Nov–Dec | All leafy greens, radish, peas | Tomato, cauliflower | Best variety season |
North India (DL, UP, PH, RJ, MP) — extreme summers 40–48°C, winters 2–15°C. Best windows: Oct–Feb and Jun–Sep.
| Month | Sow Now | Producing | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | Spinach, radish, coriander, peas | Cauliflower, carrot | Heat crops |
| Mar–Apr | Okra, cucumber, gourds | Carrot, radish | Tomato outdoors |
| May | Okra, start chilli indoors | Okra starting | Leafy greens (bolt) |
| Jun–Jul | Gourds, brinjal, chilli transplant | Okra, cucumber peak | Root veg (rot) |
| Aug–Sep | Cauliflower (indoor), carrot | Gourds, brinjal peak | Leafy greens (hot) |
| Oct–Nov | Spinach, methi, peas, carrot | Brinjal finishing | Tropical gourds |
West India (MH, GJ, GOA) — Mumbai is humid; Pune is milder; Gujarat is hot-arid. 4-month monsoon Jun–Sep.
| Month | Sow Now | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oct–Nov | Tomato, spinach, methi, coriander, peas, radish | Best window — cool, post-monsoon |
| Dec–Jan | Continue winter crops, cauliflower | Pune: protect from cold nights |
| Feb–Mar | Okra, cucumber, start gourds | Mumbai: summer transition |
| Jun–Jul | Brinjal, chilli indoor, gourds | Monsoon — heat-lovers thrive |
East India (WB, OD) — high rainfall, mild winters. West Bengal has some of India’s best conditions.
| Month | Sow Now | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oct–Jan | Tomato, cauliflower, cabbage, peas, leafy greens | Excellent window — mild winters |
| Feb–Mar | Pointed gourd (parwal), okra | Bengal specialty: parwal season |
| Jun–Sep | Amaranth, gourds, tropical leaves | Heavy rain — ensure drainage |
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⚠️ The Frost-Date Problem
Every Western seed calculator — GardenBetty, Old Farmer’s Almanac, Burpee — asks for your “last frost date.” In India, except for hill stations like Shimla and Mussoorie, frost is irrelevant for kitchen gardening. Indian seasons are driven by monsoon arrival, post-monsoon cooling and summer heat buildup. Indian gardeners using Western tools get completely wrong dates — leading to failed germination and wasted seeds. This calculator uses ICAR-aligned state season data cross-referenced with National Horticulture Board and Ministry of Agriculture crop recommendations, calculating dynamically from today’s date — never expires.
Priya Harini B
Priya has been growing food on her terrace in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh for over 7 years — through 40°C summers, monsoon flooding, salt buildup crises and everything in between. She specialises in adapting gardening techniques for Indian climate conditions, locally available soil inputs and small-space balcony setups across South India. Every sowing date, soil experiment and measurement in this calculator is documented from her real terrace garden and cross-referenced with ICAR vegetable production guidelines and IMD seasonal climate data.
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