Tend something vs Tend to something

tend something—give care and attention to smth., especially smth. that needs constant supervision:

• He faithfully tended his garden all summer long.

tend to something—

1. (also: attend to something ) take care of smth.; deal with smth.:

• “I thought I heard you talking,” she said as she tended to the fire.

2. be generally inclined to smth. or likely to behave in a particular way:

• He was a born agitator, and as such tended to exaggeration.