Soil

Soil is a soft spot in the terrain that Link use for a variety of tasks. It is most commonly used for planting seeds and beans, but can also contain treasures or secret passages.

Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask
Plots of soft soil are scattered around Hyrule and Termina. Link can plant Magic Beans in these plots and use them to reach otherwise inaccessible areas when they grow. Gold Skulltulas love the soft soil and live in it. Link can make these Skulltulas come out by bottling some bugs and releasing them next to the soft soil. This can be done even after a bean is planted.

Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons
In Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons, Link can plant a Gasha Seed in soil. The seed will eventually sprout into a Gasha Tree and produce Gasha Nuts. According to Bipin, harder to find soils produce rarer Gasha Nut treasures. Link can detect hidden soil suitable for planting by equipping the Discovery Ring.

Soil is celebrated in these games, having essences referring to it. Sacred Soil and Fertile Soil are one of the Essences of Time and Nature, respectively.

The Wind Waker
Two different types of soil can be found in The Wind Waker. The first of these is found scattered on Outset Island and is black in color. If Link throws All-Purpose Bait on it while the giant pig is near, the pig will dig up the soil. Good treasures can be found in this way. The second type of soil appears as brown mounds in the Wind Temple. Makar can plant seeds in them which instantly grow into small trees. Link can Hookshot these trees to access otherwise unreachable areas. Planting seeds can also open doors or reveal Treasure Chests.

Twilight Princess
Wolf Link can detect soft soil with his senses in Twilight Princess. Digging in these spots usually yields Rupees and Recovery Hearts, but he can sometimes gain access to vast underground chambers or dig to the other side of a wall.

Skyward Sword
In Skyward Sword there are three types of soil. The first and most common type often yields Rupees, Recovery Hearts, Treasures or even pressured steam which Link with his Sailcloth can use to reach otherwise unreachable areas. To dig into these, the Digging Mitts are required. The second kind of soil requires the Mogma Mitts, the upgraded version of the Digging Mitts, to be dug into and take Link underground. Underground, Link can turn on switches, solve puzzles and access otherwise unreachable areas. Moldorms can be found underground as well.

Planting the Life Tree Seedling

 * See also: Tree of Life, Life Tree Seedling and Life Tree Fruit

When the dragon god of the Ancient Robots became ill, they planted a seedling of the Tree of Life to collect its fruit that cures any ailment. However the soil of Lanayru weren't nutrient enough for it to grow, and it withered before reaching maturity. And the dragon died of his illness. Link needs to switch a Timeshift Stone, uproot the seedling and plant it in the Temple of Hylia in a distant past of the Sealed Temple. When Link travels back to the present, he can harvest the fruit.

This kind of soil is the third and final type of soil.