The only issue is that if the pots freeze solid, your bulbs are dead. You probably will need to sink the pots into the soil to protect them each winter.

It's much easier to just plant them (unless you live in a sea of concrete/apt)

I read that if they are around other perennials, watering the other plants after spring may overwater the bulbs - especially tulips and they rot and don't come back. Is that not true?

That might be a concern, certainly being in a pot can act differently than being in the ground. In the ground, the watering is usually more tolerated than in pots where nothing else is using up the water.

Thanks, I did not consider that. Do you have any tulip varieties that have returned for years?

Other than species, tulips are typically considered annuals here (more or less). I'm growing some species the last year, really don't have anything concrete. However, i have chosen species that typically tolerate summer moisture and heat. If you're interested I can give you a list of what I'm trying. They do not typically look like the big hybrid tulips.

I'll know more next year I think though :)

Thanks, yes, can you please give me the list?

I have in ground (and/or on order), tulipa linifolia, sylvestris, turkestanica,acuminata,bakeri, biflora,clusiana,dasystemon,saxatilis. All I can say at this point personally is that they bloomed this spring. How they survived the summer, and/or reflowered is yet to see.

I've also had luck with the greigii group of tulips returning at least a couple of years, at a previous house with less ideal conditions (more shade esp).

Thanks for the list! I will check them out

Sorry, I always forget that many posters on here have much colder winters than mine and need to water in summer. I can only say that my bulbs don't rot from normal rainfall.