Q&A for How to Grow Tulips in Pots

Yes. Through the resting season, I add liquid vitamins.

The reason why your flowers are turning yellow and dropping their petal is probably one of two reasons: either they are being over-watered, or they are not getting enough sun. You may also need to check and make sure they are draining well.

The bulbs can be safely removed once they have naturally completed their growing cycle. Wait until the leaves have yellowed and died back. Then the bulbs can be removed, stored in a cool, dark place, and replanted in fall.

A good cold loamy soil works best. This type of soil has a great plant ph that should between 4.5 to 8.9.

In the soil, they are usually positioned deep enough that frost cannot penetrate to that depth, so protection from frost is the most important factor in storage. Because the bulbs will be actually above ground even though they're planted, they will be more susceptible to frost damage than if actually planted below frost level in the ground. You would have the most success keeping them in a shed or garage with some form of insulation covering them to keep them from freezing. Check the pots periodically to ensure they are not drying out from the dry cold weather.

Plant about 8 inches deep.

Most stores will have a mixture of regular and chilled bulbs, though you're more likely to find pre-chilled bulbs during the off-season. When you purchase the bulbs at the store, this is usually found in the product description. If it's not, ask the florist whether they are pre-chilled.

Because the weather doesn't cool enough to give the bulbs the adequate chill they need for blooming, the easiest way to grow them would be by storing the planted bulbs in a refrigerator. Unless you have a cooler with a lot of space, you may need to pot the bulbs in smaller pots with adequate depth to accommodate the root growth.

Yes, but you need to make sure that you're transplanting them during the spring or early summer. Otherwise, it can throw off their growing cycle and they may not bloom.

Carefully dig up the bulb from the pot. Dig a hole that is at least 8 inches deep, then place the bulbs at least 6 inches apart from each other. Cover them with soil and wait for them to bloom. When you transfer the bulbs to the ground, you don't want them as crowded as they would be in the pot.

No, they can be either an annual or perennial. If you take care of them properly then they will rebloom each spring.

Yes, cut them back to the top of the soil. Treat the soil with vitamins or place a thin layer of mulch on top, and they'll regrow next year!

You can plant tulip bulbs into pots at any time so you can germinate them indoors. Keep the pot in an area that's at least 60–70 °F (16–21 °C) so they don't freeze or overheat. After about 1-3 weeks, they'll start blooming, but different tulips bloom at different times a year, so it could vary depending on the species that you have.

Once your tulips are growing, it's important that they aren't exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations. Move them next to a window or another area that gets sunlight and has a constant temperature between 60–70 °F (16–21 °C). Keep them out of direct sunlight during the spring and summer so they don't get burned. If you plan to keep the tulips inside, place them next to a window so that they can get at least 6 hours of sun every day.

Yes, you can absolutely keep tulip bulbs in pots! As long as they don't have any diseases and aren't rotting, you can leave the bulbs in the pots indefinitely. Make sure you clean out any leaves or petals from the soil so they don't develop mold. At least once a year, dig out the bulbs and replace the potting soil so they have all the nutrients they need.