The ground has frozen, the snow has begun to fly, and the bag of tulip bulbs you purchased last month is still sitting in the garage. What now?! For all practical purposes, the only way to save these bulbs is to force them to bloom indoors in the late winter.

Using clean clay or plastic pots and a good potting soil, fill the containers about two thirds full with the soil. Place the bulbs about an inch apart on top of the soil [1] being sure that the flat side of the bulb is next to the rim of the pot. This placement permits the largest leaf to grow on the outside. Cover the bulbs with more soil, leaving just the bulb tips exposed. Water thoroughly.

The bulbs now will need a mock winter for 10-12 weeks, so place them where the temperature will be 35-45 degrees and in the dark. Suitable locations would be an unheated closet or cellar, an attached garage, or even a refrigerator. Just be sure that they do not freeze. Check them periodically to be sure they have not dried out, watering them only to keep them moist, not wet.

After the 10-12 week cold treatment, move the pots to a cool sunny location for a week, then transfer them to a warmer location in your living area. Provide the plants with an abundance of light, turning them a quarter of a turn each day in order to keep the stems straight. And finally, enjoy the colorful early spring bloom, knowing that the real spring is just around the corner.