playing with dirt; messing around in the soil
Often refers to children playing with dirt or mud, or casually digging in the soil without a productive goal.
See also: 土遊び
When I was a child, I used to play in the dirt in the garden.
gardening; hobby farming
Used for light gardening or small-scale farming done as a hobby, often with a sense of relaxation or pleasure. Compare 土遊び, which is more about playing with soil.
I enjoy gardening on weekends.
After retirement, I started hobby farming in the field.
Common mixed kanji-kana spelling; the kana portion avoids the less common kanji 弄.
Kanji spelling using 弄る (いじる); less common but still encountered.
Compound of 土 (つち, 'soil, earth') and いじり, the noun form of 弄る (いじる, 'to touch, fiddle with').