Standard soft-field landing and take-off techniques work on dirt, gravel or grass. The differences are more in ground operations, and even then they aren't really big differences: it comes down to being aware of what's around you and what condition the surface is in. That includes taxi and parking areas, not just the runway.

With gravel, the main risk is damage to the aircraft (especially the prop) or nearby people, vehicles or objects caused by gravel being thrown up by the prop. With dirt, you're more likely to have to worry about drag or even getting stuck, especially if the surface is wet.

Some specific considerations for gravel are:

- If you're parked on gravel, be careful where the aircraft is pointed when you start up. You don't want to spray some unfortunate person, vehicle or building behind you. Re-position the aircraft before starting up if you have to, and you could also brush gravel away from the prop.
- For the same reason, pick your runup spot carefully
- Keep back pressure on the controls all the time while taxiing, to keep the prop as far away from the surface as possible. Don't feel you have to taxi in a straight line: taxi wherever the gravel is lightest and the surface is smoothest.
- Open the throttle smoothly for takeoff or runups to avoid suddenly throwing up gravel

Dry, well-packed dirt usually isn't much of an issue (apart from visibility), but wet dirt - i.e. mud - is potentially tricky:

- If conditions are very dry then you can throw up a lot of dust. That may not be as dangerous as spraying gravel around, but it's still unpleasant for anyone nearby and there is a safety risk if people can't see you or other aircraft/vehicles because of it.
- If conditions are wet then there's a risk of getting stuck in mud. Once you're moving, try not to stop unless absolutely necessary. Consider doing a 'rolling runup' if you're confident you can do it safely (practice on tarmac first!).
- Calculate your required takeoff roll carefully and know exactly where you have to abort. Mud will create a lot of drag, and you don't want to push your luck on what is most likely a short runway.
- If you take off from wet dirt you'll leave ruts behind you. When the dirt dries out those will still be there, and they could be a hazard to other aircraft using the runway (some dirt becomes very hard when it dries). Try to find someone who can smooth them out after you depart.
- If you do get mud on your aircraft, clean it off if at all possible before taking off. As well as decreasing performance, it could clog up pitot-static ports or otherwise affect airworthiness.