Bangladesh is known as the land of six seasons. Because of this variety of seasons, many kinds of fruit and vegetables grow in its soil. The country has three farming seasons: Kharif-1, Kharif-2 and Rabi.

Although the farming year is divided into three seasons on the basis of production, geography, weather, climate and our own needs mean some farm work has to be done every day of every month.

Farmers will arrange their daily tasks in their own way, according to their own thinking, needs and finances, and put them into practice.

Baishakh (mid-April to mid-May): This is the best time to sow red amaranth, gima kalmi, stem amaranth, leaf onion, jute leaf, brinjal, chilli, ginger, turmeric and okra seed. Summer tomato seedlings can be planted too. Trellises for sweet pumpkin, bitter gourd, sponge gourd, ridge gourd, snake gourd, ash gourd and cucumber must be built and seedlings raised. Pests of gourd-family vegetables must be controlled and the crops irrigated. Kharif-1 vegetables must be sown and planted, and stem amaranth, Indian spinach, red amaranth and yardlong beans harvested. Beds and seedlings for Kharif-2 vegetables must be prepared. Tender drumsticks, watermelon and bangi melon must be harvested. For fruit, choose sites for orchards, collect improved seedlings or grafts, apply balanced fertiliser to old fruit trees and irrigate fruiting trees.

Jyaishtha (mid-May to mid-June): Kharif-2 vegetable seedlings raised earlier in seedbeds must be transplanted, irrigated, fertilised and tended. Drumsticks must be harvested and summer tomato seedlings planted and cared for. Ridge gourd, snake gourd, sponge gourd, pointed gourd and teasel gourd must be harvested and pests controlled. Build trellises for late gourd-family crops and irrigate and fertilise them. Prepare pits for planting fruit saplings, apply balanced fertiliser to mature fruit trees, and harvest and market fruit from fruiting trees.

Asharh (mid-June to mid-July): Tend summer brinjal, tomato and green chilli, sow flat bean seed, and control pests and diseases of gourd-family vegetables. Harvest brinjal, tomato and okra planted earlier. Plant and tend Kharif-2 vegetable seedlings, irrigate them and apply fertiliser. Plant seedlings or grafts of fruit and medicinal trees, tie them to stakes, protect them with cages or fences, and apply balanced fertiliser to fruit trees.

Shraban (mid-July to mid-August): Seedbeds for early Rabi vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, bottle gourd, tomato and brinjal can be prepared and sowing begun. Harvest Kharif-2 vegetables and control pests. Sow flat beans, red amaranth and spinach. Tend fruit saplings already planted, plant improved seedlings or grafts, stake them, protect them with cages or fences, and harvest fruit from fruiting trees.

Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September): Prepare land for early Rabi vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, tomato, brinjal, pumpkin and bottle gourd, plant seedlings and apply fertiliser. Prepare seedbeds for mid and late Rabi vegetables and sow seed. Harvest late Kharif-2 vegetables and save seed. Tend fruit saplings planted earlier, plant improved seedlings or grafts, stake them, protect saplings with fences, and prune trees after the fruit is harvested.

Ashwin (mid-September to mid-October): Plant early Rabi vegetable seedlings and care for them with irrigation, fertiliser and pest control; prepare seedbeds for late Rabi vegetables and sow seed; and weed early tomato, cabbage, cauliflower and kohlrabi. Build and tend trellises for flat bean, bottle gourd and yardlong bean. Sow garlic and onion seed and plant potatoes. Earth up the base of fruit trees, clear weeds and apply fertiliser.

Kartik (mid-October to mid-November): Earth up potatoes, and tend and harvest early Rabi vegetables. Tend mid-Rabi vegetables, apply fertiliser and irrigate. Raise seedlings of late Rabi vegetables, prepare the land and arrange planting. Earth up cabbage, cauliflower and kohlrabi and clear weeds. Sow chilli seed and plant chilli seedlings. Tend fruit trees; if fertiliser has not been applied, apply it, and mulch to conserve soil moisture.

Agrahayan (mid-November to mid-December): Plant sweet potato vines and tend vines planted earlier; plant onion, garlic and chilli seedlings; and fertilise and irrigate potato fields. For other Rabi crops such as cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, brinjal, kohlrabi and turnip, tend the seedlings, apply fertiliser, irrigate, weed and harvest vegetables. Mulch fruit trees and apply fertiliser in measured amounts.

Poush (mid-December to mid-January): Control pests and diseases of early and mid-Rabi vegetables and harvest them. Tend late Rabi vegetables, and control pests and diseases of fruit trees along with other care. Those who want to grow seasonal flowers commercially must take extra care of the plants at this time, especially with top-dressing of fertiliser.

Magh (mid-January to mid-February): Earth up potato, onion and garlic, irrigate and fertilise them; prune tomato branches and fruit; irrigate, fertilise, earth up and trellis mid and late Rabi vegetables; and prepare seedbeds or pits, or sow seed, for early Kharif-1 vegetables. Take extra care when raising seedlings in seedbeds, because planting healthy, strong, disease-free seedlings means a good crop can be expected later without difficulty. Control pests and diseases of fruit trees and give other care.

Falgun (mid-February to mid-March): Prepare seedbeds and pits for late Kharif-1 vegetables and sow seed, including okra, stem amaranth and red amaranth. Raise seedlings of early Kharif-1 vegetables, prepare the main field, apply fertiliser and transplant. Harvest potatoes and sweet potatoes, collect and store Rabi vegetable seed and tend other crops in the garden. Take extra care in storing potatoes: when the potato plants are 90 days old in the field, cut all the plants level with the soil and make compost from them in a pit. Keep the potatoes under the soil for 10 days, and lift them 100 days after planting. This hardens the skin and improves storage life. If the soil around fruit trees is dry, irrigate from time to time and control pests and diseases.

Chaitra (mid-March to mid-April): Sow or plant summer brinjal, tomato and chilli. Prepare seedbeds for late varieties and sow seed. Transplant seedlings that are ready into the main field. Weed vegetable fields, irrigate and fertilise them, and control pests and diseases of gourd-family vegetables. Harvest late Rabi vegetables and collect and store seed. When the soil lacks moisture, young fruit drop off, so irrigation and control of pests and diseases are essential at this time.

Source: Online Desk. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.