Hello from North Wiltshire

I've been a viewer of this board for quite some time, as well as an occasional purchaser of the GYO magazine. Now I've registered, and just set up my magazine subscription About time!

I'm a vegan, and I've been growing small amounts of veg and fruit in my back garden for about five years. I've got one raised bed (about 1m x 3m), several pots, plus a 4ft x 4ft greenhouse. Some very small borders have some fruit bushes and apple trees in - all dwarf.

I have mixed success - first year I grew courgettes they did really well (2009 I think), but since then they've always either got blackfly or the courgettes shrivel/go hard and brown. I probably pack things in too close...

My Dad who died some years ago was an allotment holder for about 30 years. We always ate veg for Sunday lunch which had been in the ground two hours previously! I'm now on the waiting list for a plot at the same allotment site (five minute walk!) and if I'm lucky I might get a plot this autumn.

I've already been plotting it in Excel, even though I don't know the size or shape.

I'm not the fittest person, so I'm sure being out doing backbreaking work in all winds and weather will turn out to be very hard, but I'm still looking forward to it and I'm determined to succeed!

On this board I'm sure I'll be asking for lots of advice - and hopefully in time I can share my experiences too

My biggest problem is that as a vegan I won't kill slugs and snails...