How to Turn Soil and Remove Roots Before Planting
After clearing the overgrown land at Raikana Primary School in Pretoria, Gauteng, the next stage was to work on the soil underneath the vegetation.
The area was now open, but the ground was still dry. Grass roots ran through the soil, and rocks and other unwanted material remained beneath the surface. Before creating our raised beds, I needed to loosen the ground and remove as much of this material as practical.
If you want to see how we prepared the area before this stage, read How to Clear Overgrown Land for a Vegetable Garden.
In This Article
- What the soil looked like after clearing the land
- Why I turned the soil before creating raised beds
- The tool I used: a spade fork
- How I worked through the soil
- Removing grass roots
- Why unwanted roots can become a problem
- Why it was easier to remove roots before planting
- Why loose soil matters for vegetable gardening
- Removing rocks and other material
- Working with dry soil
- What to do with the roots we removed
- Turning soil does not mean digging forever
- From bare ground to a growing garden
- What I learnt from turning the soil
- Frequently asked questions
What the Soil Looked Like After Clearing the Land
Clearing the surface and preparing the soil were two different jobs. Once the tall grass and other vegetation had been removed, we could see how much work remained underneath.
Old grass roots were spread throughout the ground. We also found rocks and other material that needed to be removed before we could organise the planting area.
The soil was very dry. There had been no rain at the time, and we were not irrigating the area before doing this work. The land had also not been used for planting since around winter 2025.
We were therefore working with dry, previously unused ground rather than freshly watered garden soil. That affected how much effort was needed to loosen it.
Clearing vegetation does not automatically make the soil ready for planting. Check what remains underneath the surface before deciding what preparation is needed.
Why I Turned the Soil Before Creating Raised Beds
My goal was not simply to make the garden look neat. I needed to work through the soil to expose the grass roots, rocks and other material that were still hidden.
Loosening the ground also helped break up sections of hard, dry soil. This made it easier to remove unwanted material and prepare the area for the next stage of the project.
We planned to create raised beds, so I wanted to deal with the heavier soil preparation while the garden was still empty. That gave me more freedom to work without worrying about damaging established vegetable plants.
The Tool I Used: A Spade Fork
The main tool I used during this stage was a spade fork. It has strong metal tines that can be pushed into the ground to loosen and lift soil.
I used the fork to work through the dry ground, lift sections of soil and expose roots and other material underneath.
This was physical work. I had to push the fork into the ground, loosen the soil and work through it section by section rather than simply running a tool across the surface.
How I Worked Through the Soil
I worked through manageable sections rather than trying to prepare the entire garden in one movement. This allowed me to loosen the soil and inspect what came to the surface as I went.
The basic process involved:
- Choosing a manageable section of ground.
- Pushing the spade fork into the soil.
- Loosening and lifting the soil.
- Looking for roots, rocks and unwanted material.
- Removing material that needed to come out.
- Moving on to the next section.
Because the ground was dry, the work required patience and physical effort. Working systematically also made it easier to see which sections had been prepared.
Removing Grass Roots
One of the most noticeable things I found was the amount of grass root material underneath the surface. The first photograph shows some of this material in the dry soil.
This was why I did not want to clear the vegetation from the top and immediately start planting. There was still unwanted plant material beneath the ground.
I removed as many of the unwanted grass roots as I could while the area was still empty. This gave us a better starting point for establishing the raised beds.
Why Unwanted Roots Can Become a Problem
Not every root in the soil is harmful to vegetables. The concern is mainly with persistent grasses and weeds that can regrow from roots or other underground parts.
If these plants return, they can compete with vegetables for water, nutrients, light and growing space. They can also create extra maintenance work once crops have been planted.
Removing as much troublesome root material as practical before creating the beds helped reduce the chance of unwanted growth becoming an early problem.
Why It Was Easier to Remove Roots Before Planting
At this stage, there were no vegetables growing in the garden. That gave me room to work through the soil without worrying about damaging plants we wanted to keep.
Once vegetables are established, digging around them requires more care because their own roots can be disturbed. Heavy soil preparation is therefore better done before planting when the condition of the site makes it necessary.
For our project, this was the opportunity to remove unwanted roots and prepare the ground before shaping the raised beds.
Why Loose Soil Matters for Vegetable Gardening
Soil preparation is not only about removing weeds. The physical condition of the ground also matters because vegetable roots need to grow through the soil.
Very compacted soil can restrict root growth and affect how air and water move through it. Loosening the ground where necessary made our recently cleared area easier to work and prepare for planting.
The aim was to create workable soil for the next stage, not to turn it into fine dust. Maintaining good soil structure is important for a healthy growing area.
Removing Rocks and Other Material
Grass roots were not the only things underneath the surface. As I worked through the soil, I also came across rocks and other unwanted material.
Turning and lifting the soil brought some of these objects to the surface, where I could see and remove them.
Removing larger stones and debris helped us prepare a more workable area for the raised beds rather than leaving the ground untouched.
Working With Dry Soil
The photographs show how dry the soil was. There had been no rain at the time, and we were not irrigating the area before doing this work.
Dry soil can be harder to loosen, particularly when it has become compacted or has not been cultivated for a long time. This made the work more demanding and meant I had to take my time.
In some gardens, lightly watering the ground before digging can make hard soil easier to work. We did not do that during this stage, so I worked with the conditions we had.
What to Do With the Roots We Removed
Not every weed or root should automatically be added to a compost heap. Some persistent weeds can regenerate from pieces of roots, rhizomes or other plant material.
If you are unsure about a particular weed, identify it before deciding how to dispose of it. Avoid placing troublesome plant material in ordinary compost unless you have a method that reliably destroys viable seeds and underground parts.
During this stage of our project, the main priority was to remove unwanted roots and material from the growing area so that we could continue preparing the garden.
If you need help recognising and managing weeds in a vegetable garden, see our guide to common garden weeds and how to manage them.
Turning Soil Does Not Mean Digging Forever
There is a difference between preparing soil when it needs attention and disturbing it unnecessarily.
For this Raikana garden, we had a specific reason to work the ground: it had recently been cleared, unwanted grass roots were present, the soil was dry, and we needed to prepare the area for raised beds.
Once a growing area is established, however, there may be no reason to keep turning the soil heavily every season. No-dig gardening methods show that a garden can also be managed with much less disturbance.
The important thing is to understand why the soil needs attention rather than digging simply out of habit.
From Bare Ground to a Growing Garden
The wider photographs show how the garden area had changed. The vegetation that once covered the land had been cleared, and we were now working on the soil itself.
We were not planting yet. We were preparing the foundation for the next stage of the project.
What I Learnt From Turning the Soil
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Clearing the land is only the beginning.
What remains underneath the surface can require just as much attention as the vegetation above it.
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Persistent roots can produce new growth.
Removing unwanted root material before planting can help reduce the return of troublesome grasses and weeds.
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Dry soil requires patience.
Working through hard ground takes time and physical effort. Rushing does not necessarily make the job easier.
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Soil preparation should have a purpose.
I worked this soil because we were preparing recently cleared ground for raised beds.
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Prepare before planting.
It is easier to remove unwanted roots and larger material while the garden is still empty.
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Do not destroy soil structure unnecessarily.
The aim is workable soil that supports plants, not ground that has been repeatedly pulverised.
The Main Gardening Lesson
A vegetable garden starts below the surface. Before thinking about seeds, seedlings and harvests, take time to understand the soil you are working with. At Raikana, that meant dealing with dry ground, grass roots, rocks and other material before we could create the raised beds.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why should I turn soil before planting vegetables?
Turning or loosening soil may be useful when preparing newly cleared or compacted ground. It can expose unwanted roots, rocks and other material that needs attention before planting.
2. What tool can I use to loosen garden soil?
A spade fork can be used to loosen and lift soil. I used one while preparing the ground at Raikana Primary School.
3. Should I remove grass roots before planting?
Persistent grass roots can produce new growth and compete with vegetables. Removing as much unwanted root material as practical before planting can help reduce this problem.
4. Is it difficult to work with dry soil?
Dry soil can be harder to loosen, particularly when it is compacted. During our project, working through the dry ground required patience and physical effort.
5. Should I keep turning my vegetable garden soil every season?
Not necessarily. The amount of soil disturbance needed depends on the condition of the growing area. Once a garden is established, repeated heavy digging may not be necessary.
6. What should I do after loosening the soil?
Once the ground has been prepared, you can organise the growing area and shape the soil into beds. In our case, the next stage was creating raised beds.
Continue Reading
With the ground loosened and unwanted material removed, we could move on to organising the growing area.
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