We have added a few new trees to our little orchard this fall and winter (the times to plant down here in South Louisiana), and we surrounded each with a nice thick layer of mulch for retaining moisture. The only problem with the mulch is that the cats and the occasional escaped chicken love to scratch it all away from the little trees.
Our solution to this is a simple square of poultry netting (chicken wire) with a slit cut halfway up one side and a hole cut out of the center. We lay it over the tree's mulch mound and shape it to fit nicely so that it hardly shows at all. You can also use tent stakes (the kind used for your camping tent) to anchor the corners for a super secure fit. Works for us!
