A great way to help plants, indoor and out, look a little nicer for low cost is to add a top coat of mulch. At WalMart, you can buy a fairly large bag of Pine Bark Mini Nuggets for around $2.50 just about any time of the year. It simply puts a finishing touch on top instead of seeing dry dirt.
Plus it helps the soil to retain moisture. So it's really a win, win!
Ahhh mulch better!
