Joao Winckler

Mulberries are pretty forgiving honestly. I'd just carefully lift it now while it's still young and the soil is workable. Five to ten cm isn't catastrophic but it's worth fixing before the roots really establish at that depth. I've moved a young plum that was planted too deep and it barely noticed, just watered it in well after and it carried on like nothing happened.

That middle bed at 32 inches wide is going to be great for reaching everything without stepping in. One thing I'd say is make sure your paths are wide enough to actually get a wheelbarrow through if you ever need to swap out soil or bring in compost. I went too narrow on mine and regretted it within a year. Under-trough storage works well, just keep it open at the front so air circulates and you don't end up with damp problems underneath.

The double fence idea is the one that actually works long term from what I've seen. A neighbour of mine tried everything, soap bars, human hair, sprays, and the deer just got used to all of it within a few weeks. Two low fences about 4 feet apart was what finally stopped them. They can clear one easily but they won't commit to the jump if they can't see a clear landing.

The fruit tree point keeps coming up and it's a good one. Took about four years before my apple trees gave us anything worth picking, but now they just produce every year without much input at all. Potatoes and beans are great for quick calories but the trees are what really change the equation long term. Wish I'd planted more of them sooner.

Never tried TPS myself but I've been curious about it. The frost tolerance question is interesting, I'd guess seedlings are more tender than plants from tubers just because they're so small and fragile early on. The breeding side of it is what appeals to me though, the idea of developing something adapted to your own conditions over a few generations.

Starting with fruit trees is honestly the best move if you love fruit, they just take a while to get going so the sooner they're in the ground the better. I'd pick your top 3 or 4 favourites and get those established first rather than planting everything at once. Easier to learn what works on your land without drowning in it.

The biggest thing with container potatoes is keeping the moisture consistent, they dry out way faster than you'd expect especially in summer. I've had decent results with big fabric bags but only when I was really on top of watering. The cardboard box idea is brilliant for harvest though.

Early June is honestly fine for zone 5b. I've started slips from shop-bought sweet potatoes in April and they were ready to go out by late May, early June. Just stick one in a jar of water on a warm windowsill and it'll start shooting in a couple of weeks. The slips grow fast once they get going.

I've chucked loads of castings into beds and never noticed the worms clearing off. If anything the beds with the most castings mixed in seem to have the most worm activity, probably because the organic matter keeps things moist and loose. I think the buildup thing is more about a sealed worm bin where they can't move away from it, not an open garden bed where everything dilutes pretty quick.

Ha, classic. Mine do the same, the volunteers that pop up in the paths always seem happier than the ones I carefully sow in prepared beds. Makes you wonder if we're overthinking the whole soil prep thing sometimes.