How do I care for potted tulips?

[marni]

tulips need a period of near freezing temps to rebloom. You can let them grow and leaf until the leaves yellow off. Trim everything off, take the tulips out of the pot, let them dry out in a cool shady place for 2-3 weeks then store them in something breathable, (I use an old pair of cotton socks, for 4-6 months, then stick them in the freezer for 6 weeks, thaw overnight and then replant if fresh potting soil. It doesn't aways work, but I have had reasonable success.

[bmccasland]

I bought myself some from a grower two weeks ago. Here are the instructions that came with them:
- Plants may be kept in the pot or can be planted in window boxes or the garden, pot and all. Water well. (must add that mine came in a biodegradeable heavy paper pot)

- If keeping bulbs in the pot they prefer outside, but will bloom in-doors, try to place them in the coolest part of your house not in direct sunlight.

- after they have finished blooming allow them to die back, (the foliage is the bulbs food source for the next year.) At this point they can be left in the pot throughout the summer, in September, either plant bulbs in new soil and put back in the pot, in fresh soil, or plant directly in the ground.

I figured I'd trim the pot rim down to soil level, and plant the whole thing in the ground after the flowers were done. Dehead the blooms, so the energy would be to plant production. Figured if they came back next year, I win, if they don't, no big deal.