Have you ever tried to grow a garden only to have it fail? You might want to change up your usual routine by adding a couple of key gardening tips. “We say people kill plants with love all the time,” says Mobee Weinstein, the foreman of gardeners at the New York Botanical Garden who specializes in outdoor gardens.

Depending on your space and garden maintenance experience, your garden could be an elaborate production with rows of kale, zucchini, and herbs, or can be as simple as a pot of lettuce on your balcony. “I always encourage people to give gardening a try because it is empowering to be able to grow your own food,” says Ashley Nussman-Berry, the creator of the Black Planters Facebook Group, a virtual collective of more than 42,000 people that serves as a safe space for Black gardeners.

Inspiring as it may be to get your hands dirty and grow your own food, it can be frustrating when your lettuces wilt, your cucumber plants don’t produce fruit, or animals get to that juicy tomato before you do. Whether you’re an expert or a beginner, add the following gardening tips to your repertoire to avoid headaches and make the entire process more enjoyable.

How do I decide where to put my vegetable garden?

First things first: Pick out the location for your garden. Choose a vegetable garden spot based on certain considerations like how much sunshine the area gets (direct sun for at least 6–8 hours is best), and think about how the soil drains (if you’ve seen big puddles pooling, this is not the area for a garden).

Another less technical—but just as important—point to consider is whether your garden is located in an area you often encounter. Out of sight, out of mind: This old adage rings very true for vegetable gardens. Bryn Bird, a farmer at Bird’s Haven Farms in Granville, Ohio, says, “Your garden is a part of your life, not something that you just put in the corner and are not engaging with every day.” A great spot is a place you already walk by daily that won’t become a burden to frequent.

What if I don’t have full sun?

Full sun is important for many crops, but not all. Do not be afraid to grow veggies if you can’t find a spot in direct sun. Greens like lettuces, spinach, and herbs do well in shadier, cooler areas. Weinstein explains that sometimes there are ways to create more sun, like taking down a dead tree that’s shading an area or pruning a living one. If there’s a wall next to your spot, you could also try painting it white to reflect sunlight.

How do I prepare the ground for planting?

Once your space is picked out, it’s time to work on the soil. Remove weeds and debris from the area and make sure to take out large rocks as you go. Weinstein strongly suggests testing your soil to get some data points: “You can be in a pristine area and think that your soil is perfectly safe and it’s not, especially if you’re growing food.” Lead, a huge hazard especially for children, is a big problem when it comes to soil contamination.

Soil testing also provides information about the soil’s health. For example, learning the pH and nutrient levels of your soil will key you into what amendments need to be added to the soil—such as fertilizers or organic matter.