You will start to see them leafing out. How soon? Difficult to tell. Some leaf out within 2 weeks of planting, some take their dear time and leaf out months later. As long as the canes are green and moist, leave them be. You can remove the mulch when you see new growth, gently rinse the mulch off of the canes with water. Clip off the tips of the canes.

That sounds like a good amount of mulch. Once you see growth you can start to remove it or mine usually goes by itself in rainstorms. It can take a while for them to break dormancy sometimes. I think I had one last year that I didn't see any growth on until the end of May or early June. I had a replacement all set and ready for its spot when I saw a leaf poking out of the mulch.

Thank you. This is rainy season but how do I know when I need to water them? Do you stick your finger in the mulch or way down in the soil?

The soil should be moist. If it is raining a couple of times a week, you will be OK, but checking the soil during the dry periods is always a good idea.