“...bought several 1 bushel laundry baskets. I set them upside down over the plants after putting them back in the dirt”
What a good idea. I’m assuming these laudry baskets have multiple holes on the sides, like bars, but what about the top? How do you let the sun it if the tops are solid?
There are large holes in the sides of the baskets, so the young plants get plenty of morning and evening light. I place a large rock on the top of the baskets to keep it in place, and if the %&*^^* critter digs around the basket, the rock falls off and stops the digging. Once the plants are large enough, I remove the baskets and stake the plant normally.