There's a really helpful post back down the line somewhere regarding tulips in pots. You might try a search. I can't really speak to zone 5 tulip culture.

My tulips in the ground had done so poorly because of virus and other disease, I tried pots this year, thinking it was the answer to my tulip need. I even added horticultural corn meal and used sterilized potting soil. My potted tulips are failing.

Next year's plan: hyacinths and daffodils that come back without the coddling that tulips demand here.

You might plant annuals around your tulips to hide the bare spots. My mother always planted Shirley poppy seed with her tulip bulbs.

Nell

Thanks Nell - did some searching and I don't think pots is the way to go...too bad - I think it would have been so pretty. I will try annuals...that might work.

I've got some potted tulips, they have herbs overplanted. I leave them in the unheated garage over the winter. Last year about half of them bloomed, these were the "ready to bloom" tulips from Walmart originally. Year three coming up, we'll see what I get.