North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Doreen Howard" <gardendiva@charter.net>]

All my fruit trees are planted in 50-foot-long strips that are 6 feet wide 
and mulched with 4 inches of shredded cedar bark and wood.  In the three 
years I've had this little orchard, I have no problems.  All the trees were 
inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi when planted and the soil is naturally 
fertile.  I add compost and alfalfa pellets a couple times a year.  The 
mulch is pulled back from the tree trunks--about 2 inches--and every trunk 
has a plastic tree guard to prevent rodent damage.  I've never had any.

My trees are on Bud 9 and other dwarfing stock, so they won't grow more than 
8-9 feet tall, hence the six-foot-wide mulch band.

I like the cedar mulch for a couple of reasons.  The resin in the cedar 
helps control insects.  Weed and grass incursions are blatantly visible, and 
I pull up the offenders immediately.  The deer seem to stay away, and 
rodents don't nest there.  Only problem is somethings a wild turkey will rut 
through the mulch looking for grubs.  But, it's easy enough to rake the 
mulch smooth again.

My 2 cents worth.
Doreen Howard