Can You Plant Tulips in a Container Over the Winter?

by Jenny Harrington Google
    Container-forced tulips flower during the winter off-season.

    Container-forced tulips flower during the winter off-season.

    Tulips (Tulipa spp.) grow from bulbs that contain all the nutrients and energy necessary for them to grow and bloom. The flowers grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9, and naturally bloom in the spring. Planting tulip bulbs in pots and forcing them to flower out of season can provide you with bright flowers during the long winter months.


    Nearly any container with bottom drainage holes works well for forcing tulips. Generally, you can plant the same number of bulbs in a pot as the pot's diameter in inches. For example, a 6-inch pot will hold six tulip bulbs. Use any quality potting soil in the container. The bulbs should be planted so their pointed tips are just above the soil surface. It takes the bulbs about three months to bloom after pot them, so start the tulips in fall for winter flowers.

    Chilling Requirement

    Tulips require a cold chilling treatment for 12 to 16 weeks after potting. Keeping the potted bulbs at a temperature between 40 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit supplies sufficient chilling. You can chill bulbs outdoors if your area has the right temperatures, or chill them in the refrigerator. Water the soil so it's just moist, and place the pot in a plastic bag if you chill inside the refrigerator. The bag retains moisture during chilling so the bulbs don't require further watering. Outdoor chilled pots don't require a bag, but they will need to be watered if the soil begins to dry.


    After chilling, you can move the potted tulips to a 50 to 60 degree F location that receives indirect, medium light. Their yellow shoots will begin to green and grow taller within about five days. During this time, the tulips only need watering when the top 1 inch of soil feels dry. After one week, move the pots to a warmer 60 to 70 degree F location that has bright, all-day sun. Turning the pots once a day helps the stems grow straight and prevents them from leaning toward the light source.

    Plant Care

    Once the tulips are actively growing, they need minimal care. Tulips don't require fertilization, because the bulbs contain all the nutrients needed for a single flowering period. The bulbs will require watering when the top 1 inch of soil dries. Don't allow water to collect in the drip tray, because this can cause rot problems. Instead, empty it after each watering. Cutting back the old stems after they finish flowering cleans up the arrangement if there are still remaining blooms in the pot. Forcing stresses the bulbs and they usually won't recover, so dispose of them after they finish flowering.

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