Chop and drop

I read a mag article the other day which said that chop and drop is suddenly very popular. I’ve been doing this for years, how about you?

 

Not for that many years, just since I realised what a waste of time and green or woody material it was to be carting prunings to bonfire heap or compost bin. Being ever-short of mulching materials, it makes sense to use what is available. Exceptions are annual weeds and rose prunings. It helps having wide borders, though, so the front and back edges get the more decorative mulch. The downside is that it provides a haven for slugs and snails.

 

I have always done a bit of chop and drop, certainly when deadheading and tidying bits and bobs in summer. We also have some deep borders so I can hide a multitude of bits at the back. Am now doing it more systematically or maybe deliberately would be a better word. We’re trying to compost everything at home so a lot of the debris from our spring tidy up have been chopped and dropped.

 

I don't drop weeds (they can re-grow) or big/long/thick stems, prunings etc but little twiggy sticks, fallen leaves etc in the borders get left.

 

Never heard of it, cough and drop was quite the in thing when I was at school.

But it sounds painful.

 

Yes, the shrubby areas at infradig at home get this treatment including thorny* things, via the shredder. Tend to leave the pile to 'mature' prior to spreading; effectively a walking compost heap.
*not the berberis or pyracanthra but includes rose prunings when green and soft