I switched to a stainless steel pan and that made a big difference for me. It heats way more even than nonstick so I don't have to watch it as close. I keep it on medium heat and it comes out perfect almost every time now.

Oh man, that's a painful one! I did the exact same thing on my first house. The trick that finally clicked for me was to just hold a scrap piece up against the wall where it's going to sit before I make any cuts. That way you can see exactly which way the face should be pointing on the saw. Also, if you're using a miter saw with a crown stop, some of them have little marks that show the correct orientation - look for those little triangles or arrows. Saves you from having to remember all that spring angle math nonsense.

Wait, there's a construction layer?

Yeah 4 foot beds with just bagged topsoil is asking for trouble. I built 3 foot beds back in 2018 and used a mix of compost, peat moss, and vermiculite and they've drained perfectly ever since even after heavy rains. The key is you want something like 40% compost, 40% peat or coconut coir, and 20% perlite or vermiculite by volume. Straight topsoil from a bag is way too heavy and has no structure, so it packs down into basically brick by midsummer like you saw with Tom's peppers. I've also found that adding a layer of coarse gravel or sand at the very bottom helps with drainage so roots don't sit in water, but that's more important for things like carrots that really need that deep loose soil. Your point about the soil mix being the real issue is exactly right, you can go as deep as you want as long as the stuff you fill it with lets roots breathe and water move through.

Jumped on that exact same deal last month. In my experience, Asian grocery stores are seriously underrated for bulk rice prices, especially if you check the bags that are close to their sell-by date. Just make sure you sniff the bag first and look for any little holes or tears, because I've brought home one that had some kind of tiny grain moth situation going on. Transfer it to a sealed container as soon as you get it home and it'll last you way longer than you'd think. Your mileage may vary on the freshness but for three bucks you really can't go wrong.