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
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...
Scientists have named some recently discovered species of tree frogs after characters from Star Trek. Why? Because of the boops and trills and other sounds that these frogs make. And: naming your children with the virtues you hope they’ll develop as...
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?