Until when may one plow in a field of trees on the eve of the seventh [year]? Beis Shammai say: As long as it is good for the fruit. But Beis Hillel say: Until [the festival of] Shavuos. The opinion of these is close to being like the opinion of these.

What [constitutes] a field of trees? Any three trees to a beis seah. If they are capable of yielding a block of pressed figs [with the weight] of sixty Italian maneh, one may plow the entire beis seah on their account; [if they yield] less than this, one may not plow for them more than the [area] occupied by the gatherer and his basket, outside it.

Whether they are nonfruit trees, or whether they are fruit trees, we view them as fig trees. If they would be capable of yielding a block of pressed figs [with the weight] of sixty Italian maneh, one may plow the entire beis seah on their account; [if they yield] less than this, one may not plow for them any more than their need.

[If] one [tree] produces a block of dried figs and two did not produce, or [if] two produce and one does not produce, one may not plow for them any more than their need — as long as they are from three to nine. [If] there are ten, [or] from ten and up, [then] whether they produce or do not produce, one may plow the entire beis seah on their account. As it says: During the plowing and the reaping you shall rest (Exodus 34:21) — there is no need to discuss the plowing and reaping of the seventh [year]; rather, [it must refer to the] plowing on the eve of the seventh which enters into the seventh, and the reaping of the seventh which extends into the [year] following the seventh. R’ Yishmael says: Just as plowing is optional, so too reaping is optional — to the exclusion of the reaping of the omer-offering.

Three trees belonging to three people combine and they may plow the entire beis seah on their account. How much [space] must there be between them? Rabban Gamliel says: Enough for [a team of] cattle to pass through with its implements.

[If] ten saplings are distributed within a beis seah, one may plow the entire beis seah on their account until Rosh Hashanah. [If] they formed a wall or were surrounded by a fence, one may not plow for them any more than their need.

Saplings and gourds combine within a beis seah. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Even [if there are] ten gourds to a beis seah, one may plow the entire beis seah until Rosh Hashanah.

Until when are they considered saplings? R’ Elazar ben Azaryah says: Until they become unsanctified. R’ Yehoshua says: A seven-year-old. R’ Akiva says: A sapling as its name. A tree that was razed and produced a shoot — from a handbreadth and down [it is treated] as a sapling; from a handbreadth and up [it is treated] as a tree; [these are] the words of R’ Shimon.

Until when may one plow in a white field on the eve of the seventh [year]? Until the moisture ceases, as long as people plow to plant the melons and gourds. Said R’ Shimon: You have placed the law for each individual in his own hands! Rather, [one may plow] in a white field until Pesach and in a field of trees until Shavuos.

. [One may] fertilize and hoe among the melons and gourds until Rosh Hashanah; and so too in irrigated fields. [One may] excise blemishes, remove [leaves], apply dust, [and] fumigate [trees] until Rosh Hashanah. R’ Shimon says: He may even take the leaves from the cluster in the seventh [year].

One may clear stones [from a field] until Rosh Hashanah. One may prune [trees], thin [them], and cut away [their] decay until Rosh Hashanah. R’ Yehoshua says: Like the thinning and cutting away decay of the fifth, so is that of the sixth. R’ Shimon says: As long as I am permitted work of the tree, I am permitted to cut away its decay.

One may apply something rancid to the saplings, and one may wrap them, put ash on them, make shelters for them, and water them, until Rosh Hashanah. R’ Elazar bar Tzadok says: He may even water the branches during the seventh [year], but not the base.

One may smear [oil] on unripe figs and pierce them until Rosh Hashanah. Unripe figs [of] the eve of the seventh [year] which entered the seventh, and of the seventh [year] which remained to the [year] following the seventh, may not be smeared or pierced. R’ Yehudah says: [In] a place where they were accustomed to smearing [oil], they may not smear because it is work. [In] a place where they were accustomed not to smear, they may smear. R’ Shimon allows [work] for a tree, since he is permitted to work trees.

One may not plant, layer, or graft [on] the eve of the seventh [year] less than thirty days before Rosh Hashanah; and if he planted, or layered, or grafted, he must uproot it. R’ Yehudah says: Any graft which has not taken hold by three days will not subsequently take hold. R’ Yose and R’ Shimon say: By two weeks.