Something was eating my tulip bulbs; I dug them up and...

The tulips had just about finished blooming when I discovered they were getting eaten from below. So I frantically dug them up and crowded them into three big pots with dirt. I thought they could do the rest of their sunlight gathering routine (is that called ripening?) that way. They've been in the pots for about 3 weeks and are now turning yellow.

Did I do the right thing? Will they grow and flower again? I'm planning to cut the stems and leaves and let them dry for storage as I'm not ready to replant them. If I mix them in with daffodils, will the daffs protect them from critter-dining? Do you suppose tulips would like living underneath callas in a wine barrel? Too much summer water? Maybe with a daylily?

Thank you in advance for your responses.

Here they were....

What a gorgeous blend of colors! Sounds like you did the right thing to save them. Sounds to me like voles are the culprit. Probably not a good idea to put them in with the callas, as you said, too much water. Just setting the bone dry pots under a structure or in a garage would suite them best; they love a dry summer baking. I would do that and replant in fall, perhaps with some chicken wire above and below. I've tried daffs, hyacinths and frittilaria around my tulips to throw off the voles, but they go right around them and dine away (Gggrrrrrr!!). I've had clumps in full bloom and suddenly find them wilted only to give a tug and find there is no longer a bulb there!

Best of luck!

Thank you, gemini; I've been waiting for your answer. Tulips may need to find a new home, as I'm not so dedicated as to get the chicken wire and all.

The blend was primarily from Bluestone Perennials - their purple combination (as you know, all things purple must be here.) Then at the last minute I found another purple combo at Costco - that must be where the giant white ones (which didn't float my boat) came from.

I think my Radar has been nailing the critters now. One morning I watched her kill a gopher in the dog free zone. I guess messing with that bed rousted them and a bunch of little mice. Plenty of places to live, they don't need to be in my house or dog free zone. lol