Wanda Tineo, a former underwriter for Allan Block Insurance Agency, has been working in the real estate industry in New York for more than 10 years. When she’s not busy helping clients, Wanda Tineo enjoys gardening and is skilled in growing both flowers and vegetables.

Regardless of how much experience you have growing vegetables, seeing your plants struggle is discouraging. To avoid this, pick the right vegetables for your garden based on your climate. Most crops are divided into either warm-season or cool-season vegetables. Cool-season crops include broccoli, beets, carrots, lettuce, and spinach. These vegetables thrive when planted in early spring or summer and can withstand short frost spells. Meanwhile, warm-season vegetables include such things as corn, cucumbers, and beans.

In addition to considering your climate, you should also eliminate certain vegetables based on the location of your garden. Many plants require a good deal of direct sunlight to survive. However, there are several vegetables capable of growing well in shade. These includes kale, cabbage, peas, and many vegetables with small roots. If your garden doesn’t get much sunlight, make sure you plant shade-loving vegetables.

Finally, you’ll want to plant vegetables that you and your family will actually enjoy. As you go through the plants that are suitable for your climate and garden location, prioritize those that your family loves to eat. Planting vegetables that you don’t really like means you may end up wasting much of your harvest. This also means you will take up space in your garden that could otherwise be used for growing something more enjoyable.