Chop and drop
Chop and drop turns up in 2 fields: farming, forestry. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
Chop and drop in farming
A mulching technique where cover crops or weeds are cut down and left on the soil surface to decompose.
An agroforestry and permaculture practice where plants are slashed to the ground, but their roots are left intact in the soil. The cut biomass is left exactly where it falls to act as a green manure mulch, retaining moisture and suppressing weeds. Meanwhile, the dying roots decompose underground, adding organic matter and creating channels for water infiltration.
"We'll do a chop and drop on the comfrey next week before it goes to seed to build up the soil around the fruit trees."
Chop and drop in forestry
A felling technique where a standing tree is cut straight through and lowered in sections.
A specialized felling method used in tight spaces or urban forestry where a tree cannot be felled in one piece. The cutter makes a straight horizontal cut without a traditional face notch, holding the trunk vertical, and drops it straight down. They then cut a section off the bottom and repeat the process, lowering the tree in stages until only a stump remains.
"We don't have the clearance to lay this pine down, so we'll have to chop and drop it in four-foot blocks."