Everyone wants healthy green plants with colorful flowers, but you have to think about the essentials first.

It all starts with your soil and pots.

Meteorologist Alex Calamia has some great tips to help your plants grow.

The containers and soil they grow in are important and there are different types of pots out there.

Terracotta pots are pretty, but most flowers require a lot of water and these pots do well with plants that do not need a lot of water – like cacti and succulents.

Tropical plants love being in plastic and glass pots because water comes out the top or drains at the bottom.

No matter what pot you get, make sure there are holes at the bottom, because roots need to breathe.

When it comes to soil, there are two kinds – garden soil and potting soil. Potting soil absorbs the water, whereas garden soil seeps out.