Typically a tropical crop, one of the best suited for dry farming, generally grown rainfed. Thrives under a medium rainfall, on porous soils that do not get waterlogged. Ragi is very adaptable and thrives at higher elevations than most other tropical cereals. Cultivated on soils ranging from rich loams to poor shallow upland soils. In India, grown on black cotton soils, but thrives on red lateritic loams.
Ragi stands salinity better than most cereals.
Cultivation Ragi may be grown as a hot weather crop, from May to September, using long duration varieties and as a cold season crop, from November and December, using early types. Ragi seed are broadcast or drilled, in rows 7.5-30 cm apart. Sometimes seed is sown in nurseries and seedlings outplanted when 3-4 weeks old. Eleven kg seed provides seedlings for a hectare. Transplanting is common where early rains are uncertain.