To make the job of tilling easier and more effective, it’s important to remove any grass or plants that are already growing in the soil you want to till. The purpose of tilling is to prepare the soil for new plants, so you start by removing the old growth.Use a shovel to dig into the ground around the roots of existing plants or weeds. Start a few inches (several centimeters) away from the plant and dig in at a 45-degree angle toward the center of the roots. Sever the roots with the shovel and pull the plants out by hand. Wear gardening gloves to do this.
To remove sod, you can use a shovel to dig out small patches at a time, use an herbicide to kill the lawn, use a sod cutter, or kill the lawn by depriving it of light.
 Rocks, large stones, tree roots, and other obstructions make it difficult to till land. Large rocks especially get in the way of the tiller, so it’s best to move them before you till. With a wheelbarrow, walk up and down the land you want to till. Look out for rocks, roots, and other items that aren't soil. Place anything you find into the wheelbarrow.


These objects are also obstructions for seedlings that are trying to grow, so your plants will have a better chance if the land is clear.
 Different plants need certain soil conditions to thrive, and if your soil doesn’t meet those needs, then your plants may die. Two qualities you should evaluate for are soil type and pH. You can test pH with a test kit that you can buy at garden stores, home and hardware stores, and online. To determine the soil type:Take a hose and soak a small section of the soil in your garden.
Grab a small handful of soil and squeeze it into a ball.
Place the ball somewhere well-ventilated but protected from rain.
Let the ball dry out for 24 hours.
When dry, pick up the ball of soil.
A tight ball indicates clay. A ball that crumbles or loses its shape is mostly sand. A crumbly ball that loosely holds its shape is loam, which is ideal.
 In order to make the conditions more favorable for your plants, you can amend the soil with certain organic matters to make it more suitable for growing. For instance, you can add specific soils to create loam, and can add different things to adjust the pH.


For a garden with a high pH and acidic soil, sprinkle lime or wood ash over the soil before tilling to balance the pH.For a garden with a low pH and alkaline soil, sprinkle sawdust, peat moss, or compost.
For a garden with sandy or clay-like soil, add 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) of aged compost, manure, peat moss, or shredded leaves.
Remove existing sod, plants, and weeds.
Remove obstructions.
Test and evaluate the soil.
Amend the soil.
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