Generally staking is done for dwarf trees, and a few semi-dwarfs. I don't stake my trees here in windy KS. However, I do tie branches down, which gives the tree some support. I don't think it matters too much what kind of stakes you use. T-posts last forever, and can probably be had pretty cheaply off Craigslist. I've even seen people throw them out with the garbage.

Use the hardwood mulch, not the stone. The hardwood mulch will slowly break down and improve the tilth of the soil, while feeding your trees.

Like olpea said, the t-posts are permanent fixtures for the dwarf trees. You can buy them in bundles of 10. I didn't stake any of my semi-dwarfs and they have withstood all our hurricane winds (they are on mm111).
We have voles in these parts, whcih makes the use of mulch quite challenging. All of my trees are mulched with drainage rock out to about a 2 foot diameter and then an application of leaves and grass clippings extend out to about a 5 foot diameter. The rock works well to serve as mulch and to discourage voles. I've had so many folks tell me that hardwood mulch robs the soil of Nitrogen as it decomposes so I don't use it around fruit trees or other garden plants like asparagus.

Thomis,

Good point about the voles and mulch, I forgot to mention that. We don't have any voles around here, so it's not something I think about. Too much water here, for voles or moles. Even if they did venture in the orchard area, they would be fodder for our rat terrier. Regarding mulch robbing N, it's only a concern if mulch is incorporated in the soil. When used as a top dress, it won't rob N.

Forget staking, prune to a low vase shape for ease of picking and netting. I've sworn off mulch as it provides cover for pests.

Janna:

It would be helpful to know the types of fruit trees included in your 15, and, if possible, the rootstock types and even the source of your trees. Your soil type (i.e. sandy, clay) and your actual location in NJ might also help us assist you. Your idea of what constitutes high winds might be considered normal by many of us. Here in Northern Virginia, we regularly get gusts of over 50 mph in early spring and during thunderstorms. You may live close to the ocean, or some other place that is worse.

I would not assume that all of your trees will require staking of some type. Some might, others might not. And it is possible that none of them will. Apple trees on dwarfing rootstocks require some support anywhere they are planted, as has been noted above, but semi-dwarf trees normally do not, nor do most stone fruit trees like peaches, apricots, plums and cherries. These trees normally grow strong roots that are quite capable of dealing with winds, unless you soil is very soft and sandy. When you first plant young trees, they are small and present little wind resistance. Wind can become a problem only if the tops begin to get ahead of the roots, but with fruit trees you would be pruning anyway to shape the trees and build fruitful scaffolds, so this would reduce wind resistance. It is almost never a good idea to allow fruit trees to become very tall for several reasons, including your ability to thin, pick, and spray the fruit should that be required. And it probably will be if you want to grow edible fruit in NJ.

The best support post I know of is the forged steel T-post, not the lighter stamped steel posts. The forged posts are more expensive, but last forever and do not bend when driven. Anchoring the tree trunk to the post can be done with a variety of materials, and is a judgment best made in the field. There is no one way that everyone uses, although some type of strap that avoids cutting into the tree is obviously better than wires.

I am not a user of any rock materials as mulch, since my trees do not suffer from voles or gophers. I mulch around the trees with uncomposted stable manure, which consists of about 80% sawmill wood chips. I would also use shredded leaves or municipal shredded wood waste if that was what is available. Use of organic mulches leads to continuous improvement of soil around the trees, and encourages earthworms which both fertilize and aerate the soil. Mulches placed on the surface do not rob nitrogen from the soil; on the contrary, they result in a net gain of nitrogen as they break down, as well as dramatic improvements in the tilth and fertility of the soil. It has taken over 25 years, but I now have nearly a foot of fine black earth in wide rings around nearly all the fruit trees, and they seem to like it. I have never had to use chemical fertilizers or other nitrogen sources around the trees, other than a little incidental 10-10-10 they receive when I pass by with the lawn spreader in fall.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA