You asked about my sourdough routine so here is what I have been doing lately. I feed my starter once a day with a 1 to 1 to 1 ratio of starter to flour to water. The hydration level makes a big difference in how the bread turns out. I use a mix of bread flour and whole wheat for better flavor and texture. The temperature in my kitchen is around 72 degrees which seems ideal for a consistent rise. I have learned to watch for the starter to double in size before using it. That usually takes about 6 to 8 hours depending on the temperature of the room. Using filtered water really helped when my starter was sluggish because tap water has chlorine that can slow down the fermentation process. I also started doing a cold proof in the fridge overnight which gives the bread a more complex flavor and better structure when baked. The scoring pattern on top also affects how the bread opens up in the oven so I have been practicing different designs.

I looked into the raised bed setup you asked about and here is what I decided to do. I am going with three beds that I will rotate each season to keep the soil healthy and productive. The first bed will have tomatoes and basil since they grow well together and help deter certain pests naturally. The second bed will get peppers and eggplants because they have similar needs for warm temperatures and consistent watering throughout the season. The third bed will be for leafy greens like lettuce and spinach which prefer cooler conditions and partial shade during the hottest part of the day. I tested my soil last week and found it needs more organic matter so I am adding compost from my pile to improve the structure and nutrient content. I also learned that marigolds planted around the border help keep pests away without needing any chemical sprays. I plan to start the seeds indoors in early March and transplant them after the last frost date in mid-May to give them a strong start.