Someone gave me tulips in a pot- how to care for them?

HI Carolyn,

You can actually put them in the ground but know that they may or may not come up next year. Not because of when you are planting them, but because they have been forced to bloom and sometimes forced tulips don't come back - but sometimes the do. :) Wishing you the best.

Don't cut off the foliage, it is feeding the bulb for next years blooms. You can plant now, or wait to plant the blooms until fall.

I agree with Lisa S. above. You leave the leaves on for bulb growth and water sparingly while they are still green. If you water them too much the bulb rots. After the leaves turn brown, it is safe to pop them out of the pot and right into the hole in the ground right now. I have never had them not grown the next spring and they always flower for me. I have done this for years and have always had nice flowers and bulbs that multiply every year. If you don't plant them now, after the leaves turn brown, remove them from the pot, store them in a cool place in some peat moss so they don't get broken. Then in the fall you can plant them for a spring growth next year. Good luck with your choice!

you can plant them now....keep the foliage on and let it die down naturally

thank you very much to both of you ladies. I will take your advice.