The soil is normally rested or left fallow for a period before new sugarcane is planted. Ploughing ensures the soil is broken into fine even particles which helps the roots of the new plants reach food and moisture. Pieces of mature sugarcane ("setts") are planted using special machines which cut the cane into setts, drop them into furrows, add fertiliser and then cover the setts with soil. It takes a few weeks for new shoots to grow from the freshly planted sets.