I have been working on techniques of composting in place lately, mostly from the inspiration of The Permaculture Comsultant, but also due to the demise of my compost bins this winter. I have begun mulching in place using blades. Last summer, I just kind of let the garden go wild and cleared out what hadn’t died at the end of the season. Establishing continuous production, the way nature performs in my climate is a challenge.
As I understand this method, there are several tiers to this method of weeding and mulching (stacked functions). You have a pocket knife for small touch-ups. You have a rice knife/sickle for medium jobs. Machetes take care of the chopping. Scythes are for bulk cutting of plants (e.g. grasses and other leafy things).
We had a hurricane to contend with on Monday. This is the prefect time to bulk up on plant matter.