Container tulips-now what?

Did my first container of spring tulips, they were gorgeous, but now are spent. I've continued to water them and the tops are slowly dying back. You experts out there, please tell me what I should do to preserve the bulbs for next year. It's 100 plus here in the summer, almost there the last few days too. Thanks in advance for your help. :)

I read somewhere, probably here, that tulips die back as soon as the bloom is spent. That might have pertained only to forced bulbs because that is exactly what happened to my tulip bulbs in containers. The ones in the ground didn't die back right away. I have also read that forced tulip bulbs are pretty much done for good. Tulip bulbs (other than species), don't come back even in the ground past another year or so. So I didn't bother keeping my tulip bulbs from the containers, but I have had luck in the past with hyacinth and daffs coming back after being forced. I plant them in the ground and give them a good dose of bone meal. It might take a year or two to bloom well.

Maybe someone else will come along with better information.

LimeyLisa Kay

Thanks for the input. I did some digging through the threads and read pretty much the same thing you said. One said to discard them and start with fresh ones. Think I'll just stick them in the ground and see what happens and start with fresh ones in the container next year.

Hi,
I had a beautiful container of tulip bulbs 2 years ago and they are still blooming in the spring. I took them and planted them in the fall.