volcano mulching
n.— «I have seen some landscapers use very deep layers of mulch—a foot or more in tight rings around trees and shrubs. Is this a healthy practice?…This is sometimes called volcano mulching because of the steep sides and hollow center around the base of the tree. It may be better than no mulch at all, but it can cause problems, especially with newly planted trees.» —“Cultivating Gerbera daisies from seed takes time, patience” by Russell England Gainesville Times (Georgia) Aug. 10, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Some people work hard to lose their accent in order to fit in. Others may be homesick for the voices they grew up with and try to reclaim them. How can you regain your old accent? Also, a compelling book about scientific taxonomy shows how humans...
What’s the difference between a grove and an orchard? Every orchard is a grove, but not every grove is an orchard. Can you speak of an apple grove or an orange orchard? Yes, although it’s far more common to say apple orchard and orange grove. The...
I was once told, by a Minneapolis park employee, that the extra mulch discourages lawnmowers (from injuring the tree’s bark). Evidence of a covert power struggle between arborists and landscapers?