7 Lessons to Learn From My Gardening Blunders

By Michelle Slatalla, WSJ, March 29, 2024

Buying inferior-quality outdoor furnishings doesn’t pay off in the long run.

2. Inferior decor

It feels like I have spent a billion dollars on outdoor furnishings that faded, rotted or got moldy after a season or two—and when I got rid of them I contributed to the 12 million tons of disposable furniture that Americans send to landfills every year.

The Cure: Bypass cheap, throwaway pieces in favor of those made of materials like teak and powder-coated aluminum, which should withstand the elements for a decade, said Tony Peng, managing director of Oasiq, an outdoor-furniture company in Brooklyn. His tip for more-vulnerable soft furnishings like cushions and rugs: “Buy materials labeled water-repellent—not waterproof, which can trap moisture and humidity beneath their surface and lead to mildew.”