Green Wednesday: Napa Tackles Plastic Waste and Cabbage-Growing Insights
By Pat Hitchcock, UC Master Gardener of Napa County and Bob Figoni Environmental Contributor
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NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — Every Wednesday, Napa Valley Features includes posts from environmental voices and the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County who share research-based horticultural advice. Together, these contributors provide valuable insights into sustainable gardening practices and climate-related topics relevant to our region.
Summary of Today’s Stories
"County Acts to Reduce Plastic Waste and Disposable Foodware" by Bob Figoni, Napa Climate NOW! Waste Reduction Team: Napa County has strengthened its stance on single-use plastics with a new ordinance aimed at reducing waste, protecting wildlife and cutting greenhouse gas emissions, featuring measures such as reusable foodware policies and higher fees for disposable items.
“With the passage of the Plastic Bag Ban and Reusable Foodware Ordinance, Napa County takes its place along with many other communities getting serious about reducing single-use plastic and other foodware in supermarkets and eating establishments.” - Bob Figoni
"Cabbage Trials: Lessons from the Garden" by Pat Hitchcock, U.C. Master Gardeners of Napa County: Local gardeners experimented with three cabbage varieties across Napa’s fall and spring seasons, discovering insights on growth challenges, pest management and the surprising appeal of Savoy cabbage.
"Over 20 years of field testing, I have learned that even when I am indifferent to a particular vegetable, once I’ve grown it, I usually like it." - Pat Hitchcock
Cabbage Trials: Lessons From the Garden
By Pat Hitchcock
NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — I trained to become a Napa County Master Gardener in 2004. That same year a few members of our group decided we could learn something by growing the same vegetable varieties in our diverse home gardens and then comparing notes. How easy or challenging were the vegetables to grow? Were they pest- and disease-resistant? How was the yield?
Over the years we have tested nearly 50 different vegetables. Last year we decided to investigate cabbage.
Cabbage is part of the Brassicaceae family, which includes broccoli, cauliflower and kale, among others. These plants grow best in cool weather. Our Napa Valley climate has two cool seasons, one in late fall and the other in spring, and we agreed to try growing cabbage in both seasons.
For fall planting we started seeds in August or early September, calculating that 6-week-old seedlings could be set out in September or October and hopefully mature in early winter. Spring planting of seeds began in January so seedlings could be transplanted in February or March and mature in late spring or early summer.
We selected three different round types: a red cabbage called Ruby Ball Improved, a green variety called Katarina and a crinkly-leaved Savoy type named Alcosa. Seeds were ordered and distributed to volunteers willing to grow them and keep detailed notes.
One challenge in fall planting is starting seeds in the middle of summer and keeping the young seedlings healthy in hot weather. Once planted, seedlings would need shade and extra water if a heat wave threatened. A second challenge was finding space in the vegetable garden for new plants while summer crops were still producing.
For seeds started in January, the challenge is providing the seedlings with enough light. And nature can throw curveballs. Last April, after field trial participants had transplanted their seedlings, we had a heat wave. Shade covers and attention to watering were necessary strategies again.
Cabbage seeds generally germinate in less than a week. However, many gardeners noted that the Red Ball variety was slower to sprout and had a lower germination rate than the green varieties.
All seedlings were transplanted when they were 6 to 8 weeks old. By that time they were about the same size as nursery starts. For fall, the seedlings went into the ground in September or early October so they could get established while the days were still long. Spring seedlings were transplanted in February or early March.
Trial participants noticed several pests. One gardener lost seedlings to rodents even before they went into the ground. Another gardener also battled rodents. Barriers such as cages or row cover can help foil these critters.
Aphids showed up, as well, and were managed with regular sprays of water. We also contended with slugs. Most of us used an iron phosphate-based bait that is safe for pets and children and accepted for organic gardens. Most aphid and slug damage was confined to the outer leaves, so gardeners still harvested edible heads.
Fall-planted seedlings produced mature heads from December to March. Spring harvest was from late May into July. The fall-planted crop seemed to have a wider harvest range than the spring crop, possibly because the low levels of daylight in winter slowed the growth. No one reported frost damage; cabbage is hardy.
Participants generally preferred the green Katarina and the Savoy over the Red Ball. Some of us had never grown a Savoy type before and really liked Alcosa. Most participants said they would grow cabbage again.
The field test group was small, just half a dozen gardeners, so our results aren’t conclusive. A couple of us failed to get any transplantable seedlings in the fall and had to fill in with extra plants from those who had better luck. We could have purchased plants from a nursery and saved ourselves some trouble, but we might not have been able to find the varieties we wanted to try.
Over 20 years of field testing, I have learned that even when I am indifferent to a particular vegetable, once I’ve grown it, I usually like it. I was one of the Master Gardeners who had never grown a Savoy cabbage before. I liked it so much that I tracked down the seed source and ordered some to grow this year. Now I just need to find more room in the planting beds.
Library Talk: Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County for a talk on “Planning a Cut Flower Garden,” on Thursday, Feb. 6, from 7 to 8 p.m. via Zoom. This summer, your garden can include beautiful, colorful flowers to cut and bring into your home. Join the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County to learn about the best annuals, biennials and perennials for cutting, along with soil-preparation tips, starting seeds indoors and direct seeding techniques. Click here to register!
Help Desk: The Master Gardener Help Desk is available to answer your garden questions on Mondays and Fridays from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the University of California Cooperative Extension Office, 1710 Soscol Ave., Suite 4, Napa. Or send your questions to mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. Include your name, address, phone number and a brief description of the problem. For best results attach a photo.
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Pat Hitchcock is a UC Master Gardener of Napa County.
County Acts to Reduce Plastic Waste and Disposable Foodware
By Bog Figoni
NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — Yes, it happened! Back on Nov. 12, 2024, the Napa County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance to strengthen the state’s existing bag ban and to reduce the amount of plastic and other disposable foodware in our community. With the passage of the Plastic Bag Ban and Reusable Foodware Ordinance, Napa County takes its place along with many other communities getting serious about reducing single-use plastic and other foodware in supermarkets and eating establishments.
This is great news for our local environment. It will reduce litter on our roadways and in our waterways. It will protect wildlife. Best of all, it will reduce greenhouse gases that cause climate change. The ordinance takes effect in a year, so businesses have time to make the necessary adjustments to their operations.
Restaurant and café owners and managers can actually save money by adopting a reusable-foodware-only policy at their business. There is a movement, already started in other communities with similar ordinances, to use reusable even for takeout. This reduces or eliminates the continuous expense of purchasing and landfilling single-use food and beverage containers and utensils.
At a time when our federal government is about to dispense with many programs designed to reduce greenhouse gases, Napa County is doing the responsible thing, considering overwhelming evidence of a warming planet caused by humans – namely, reducing our impact.
But Napa County officials aren’t the only ones who can do the right thing. Businesses can also participate by providing reusable foodware, while consumers can bring their own cups and containers, thus eliminating any charge that might apply for disposable foodware. Who doesn’t want to save a quarter, right?
Previously, the statewide plastic bag ban had loopholes, making in ineffective. The modifications passed by the Board of Supervisors smartly include produce (“pre-checkout”) bags, ban plastic bags altogether and increase the disposable bag fee from 10 cents to 25 cents. At the market, while taking a paper bag is better than plastic, bringing your own reusable bags is even better and avoids the charge for disposable.
Calistoga led the way by passing a strong bag ban and a weaker version of the disposable foodware ordinance. By strengthening the foodware ordinance, the Board of Supervisors made sure that it will be effective against the dangers that disposable foodware, and especially plastic, impose.
The disposable foodware part of this ordinance does the following:
Requires reusable foodware for dining in.
Requires takeout foodware to be fiber-based compostable.
Bans plastic and polystyrene foodware.
Requires foodware accessories to be distributed by request only.
Implements a 25-cent charge for disposable foodware items.
Bans plastic beverage bottles at county events.
The plastic bag section of this ordinance does the following:
Requires that pre-checkout and checkout bags be compostable.
Bans single-use plastic bags at both pre-checkout and checkout.
Implements a 25-cent charge for disposable bags.
So what’s next for Napa Valley?
The Board of Supervisors has set a powerful precedent for other jurisdictions to follow. Napa, American Canyon, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga should pass similar versions of their own single-use bag and foodware ordinances to ensure that the environmental protections of one municipality mirror that of all. This will not only enhance our reputation as an environmental leader but also help reinforce Napa as a green destination for coveted tourists.
Things you can do:
Thank your supervisor for their vote.
Write or speak to your local city or town council and tell them to pass a strong plastic bag ban and disposable foodware ordinance like the county did.
When they take up the issue, be vocal at your city or town council meetings.
Bring your own bags to the market for pre-checkout and checkout purposes to avoid the charge.
Bring your own to-go containers for leftovers at the restaurant.
Use your disposable cup every time you get a coffee drink or other beverage.
Talk to businesses and let them know how much you appreciate their compliance with this initiative.
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Explore all Napa Valley Features stories on our main page.
Bob Figoni serves as a member of Napa Climate NOW!’s Waste Reduction Team. A former waste-management professional, he has long championed passage of local ordinances to ban plastic bags and reduce plastic and other single-use foodware waste.
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The views, opinions and data presented in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position or perspective of Napa Valley Features or its editorial team. Any content provided by our authors is their own and is not intended to malign any group, organization, company or individual.
Really enjoyed this article and would like to read more articles about growing vegetables in our county. And specifically.... how come-- in the last bunch of years-- when I grow zucchini, does the fruit rarely mature? I used to get zucchs in abundance!