My mom's boyfriend gave her potted tulips for Easter. Because I have a cat who is a trouble maker and an older kitten still in training, the tulips have to stay in the basement. I told my mom I will plant them in the garden when we know the cold weather is done for the year. However, everything I've read says to wait until after the flowers die before planting.

My question is how soon can I plant these? We don't get to enjoy them unless one of us is doing laundry or I am getting gardening supplies out of the basement. I can't set them on the front porch since there are a few neighbor kids who I'm sure would take them home as a gift to their mother. The tulips don't get much sun in the basement, if any, and it is fairly damp down there. The temperature is supposed to drop Thursday night/Friday morning, then go back up to normal spring temperatures. If I can, I'd like to plant the tulips this weekend.