Irrespective of the way it is raised gram is always grown as a cold weather (rabi) crop mixed with Sorghum, wheat, barley, linseed, mustard or pea. It is also grown as a seed crop. Gram does not need a very fine seedbed. A deep ploughing preferably with a single mould-board plough and a second ploughing with a desi plough followed by a harrowing, if possible, and removal of all weeds from the field before sowing serves the purpose of ordinary cultivation of this crop. No fine tilth is attempted, nor is the soil compacted, but is left loose on the surface. It is grown as a sole crop in deep black soils or as a dry season crop after the harvest of paddy in rice fields. Occasionally, gram succeeds maize in some States and is also grown mixed with sorghum or wheat. As an irrigated crop, it is manured and watered. Being a leguminous crop, gram utilizes atmospheric nitrogen through its root nodules. Hence, the crop is not generally manured with nitrogenous manures or fertilizers.

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