Can canning tomatoes grow in containers in the winter?

Can I plant daffodils in the snow?
Mark, Johnston, RI

Daffodils and other spring flowering bulbs will need the cold of winter for rest. If you can penetrate the soil under the snow, you can plant the bulbs. King Alfred dafs are planted eight inches down. All bulbs are two and a half times the size deep. Place a third sand with your present soil unless it is already sandy. Do not use any fertilizer in the hole. You can place the fertilizer on the top.

Can we grow a lawn at this time of year?
Janet, Galesferry, CT

You can build the lawn now but the warm weather seeds will probably not germinate until spring. You can use a cover crop of winter rye to protect the lawn from spring weed seeds. You can also use the new seed after turning in the rye in the spring and seeding with fescue, perennial rye and blue grass. If it is shady, you can use a higher percent of fescue. Be sure to have at least eight inches of good loam. Rake in all applications separately. You will need lime and fertilizer a week apart for the most efficiency of the fertilizer.

Can I grow tomatoes and peppers indoors during the winter?
Hamo, Cranston, RI

You may be able to grow small peppers but not the large in the house. They all require strong sunlight and cooling to harden the stems sufficient to hold the fruit. You would be wasting time with the tomatoes until after December. I would suggest that you get a grow light, if you want to try hot small peppers now. Hot houses do grow winter tomatoes with additional light and heat.

Can I cut back my large leaved purple rhododendron?
Jim, Narragansett, RI

You can but you will suffer a loss of flowers. Native R.maxima can be cut severely with loss of flowers inn the spring without harm to the plant. Other hybrid rhododendrons will need selective pruning after blooming in July or August instead of the hacking of R.maxima.

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