Whether it’s early morning ploughing by farmers using tractors in the field or simple tilling of nursery soil in a pot at home with a small portable spade, the idea is the same — to soften the soil, soil surface and ground. Sometimes, a nascent, germinating seed and a feeble seedling need support from its external environment in the initial few days of the plant life cycle. Softening up the potting mix can go a long way in this regard.

One of the most common mistakes among new gardening enthusiasts is not softening up the soil enough. The tilling of the entire pot, or the container in which the seeds have been sown or seedlings have been transferred to, is essential for the plant’s better growth. If the pot and the soil within are already being reused after a season or so, the tilling becomes even more important.

In soil that has been softened up, individual seeds and seedlings can be manually placed with the help of a portable trowel or a small spade. Some gardeners also use a small shovel, spoon or even a butter-knife as smaller utensils would rather fulfill the requirement in smaller pots than full-size gardening tools. A few deep strokes at that moment are considered enough to eventually place one seed within.

However, in neglected stretches of land, flower beds or soil-filled pots, which have not been in use for cultivation for months or years, tilling needs to be done in a dedicated manner. After tilling, some gardeners prefer to leave the growing space as it is and conduct another round of tilling again after a couple of days. Others, however, adhere to watering it, while repeating the tilling again to ensure maximum water absorption by the soil.

From removing weeds to boosting fertility, tilling is the unsung hero of gardening…

In relatively better soil conditions, nursery fertilisers or fine compost can also be added to the soil to further boost fertility and soil quality. This boosting can be performed after watering or, in the case of not watering, during the second tilling phase. Many gardeners firmly believe that compost or fertiliser added to dried pots and containers before watering is likely to get washed away without fulfilling its purpose.

With the passage of time, soil or pots that have neither been watered nor tilled would start to give an impression of a drought-stricken piece of land. The soil starts to compact so much that even water would not easily absorb and mix with the soil. Apart from introducing air pockets within, tilled ground readily accepts watering and transfers water and other required nutrients to the roots for absorption, from where it reaches the rest of the plant above.

Proper aeration and moisture penetration in soil are fundamental to fostering robust root development in plants. When it comes to watering, the advantage of tilling the soil is twofold. Loosening up of the soil results in better water absorption by the soil, improving its availability for the roots, while also ensuring better water drainage. The latter negates waterlogging over the soil surface and any likely water pocket development within.

While sowing seeds, it is usually recommended to remove any pebbles and stones from the soil or potting mix. Tilling the soil beforehand provides support to the germinating seedling and the growing roots to spread easily, ultimately benefitting the growth of the plant. Other than pebbles and stones, tilling also helps in getting rid of old dead roots of other plants, any unwanted weeds or other seeds within the unused soil.

It is evident that tilling the soil has unlimited and multi-dimensional advantages. However, if one is not ready to invest their time and energies in tilling, one may end up seeking help from the dreaded chemicals. Plants that are grown in neglected stretches of land are more prone to diseases and infections, which may result in the grower opting for different pesticides and herbicidal sprays during the different phases of the plant life cycle.

For seasoned gardeners who till the soil and loosen it up, it is easier to ascertain the composition and quantity of compost or fertiliser that is required by the plant. This boosting and prepping using fertilisers improves plant growth.

Careful tilling in already potted plants or a thriving garden-bed further helps to mix the compost layer, organic matter and fertiliser on the surface to reach far within and be easily available to the roots. The loosened-up soil provides a healthy, happy ground for the nascent seedling to grow and turn into a robust fruitful plant in no time.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, August 17th, 2025