Part of what attracts me to permaculture gardening principles is that I'm a lazy gardener. So when I saw a reference to "chop and drop" mulching in the Desert Gardeners of Maricopa County Facebook group, I was intrigued enough to do a little research. Here's one explanatory link I found and here's a Youtube video demonstrating the process.
Bermuda grass, mint, Mexican petunia, and Mexican primrose have long been the bane of my gardening existence .In the past I've spent a great deal of time and effort trying to dig them up by the roots and throw them in the trash. According to "chop and drop", I not only don't need to do that, I am removing nutrients from the soil that will have to be replaced somehow.
I especially don't enjoy weeding in the heat of the summer, so I think now would be a good time to experiment with this method on the mint and grass infesting this raised bed. I don't think there is much danger of the stolons rooting themselves during our hot, dry summer, so I just cut them off at ground level, chopped them up with clippers, and left them to dessicate in the sun. Theoretically, they will provide a cooling, weed-supressing, moisture-conserving layer of mulch now, and eventually will decompose and add their nutrients back into the soil. As a bonus, I got to enjoy the lovely, soothing smell of mint as I worked.
Word of warning: Don't include weed seed heads in your chop-and-drop mulching, or you will come to regret it next spring. I do include flower and vegetable seeds, if this is a place I might want to see those particular flowers and/or vegetables.
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