How you have given the containers the protection you did should work....as long as the cardboard doesn't draw a lot of snow which then melts which then turns the cardboard to mush....never mind the bulbs. As long as the containers can drain, the surface not freeze which takes temperatures down to freeze the bulbs before they develop roots, they will do fine. Bulbs by the way, once having roots can take 40 below..and that's celsius or fahrenheit. For our U.S. cousins, when Seacat quotes temperatures, they represent, when mentioning minus figures, that's minus from the freezing point....which is 32F. The true formulae is ...the C. figure X 9/5....+ 32. Since 9/5 is 1/5 away from twice the figure, we use that and subtract the fifth....or 10%. To anyone wishing to convert...its simple...take the C..celsius temperature.....double it, (X 2) subtract 10%...which is move the decimal point, and add 32º. The trick is to remember that 32 is always a plus number. So if the figure such as minus 30....becomes 60...minus 6....= 54....now subtract 32 from it....that's 32 as a plus #. So - -54 subtract 32 = 22....that's minus 22 C. Conversely, 10 C....double...= 20...minus 10%..2...= 18.. now add the 32º.....and that becomes 50 F. There are two numbers in Celsius that can be just turned around....16 C is 61 F.....and 28 C...is 82 F. Most temperatures are not exact...because in converting you end up sometimes in fractional figures. But, you're never much beyond 1 degree difference. With numbers ending in 5.,,,and 0......the end result is always true.....30 doubled...= 60...minus 10%...6..= 54...add 32....86 F. Many newer Canadians, never having to deal with fahrenheit temperatures are confused by people who still convert. But fahrenheit does give a truer, more concise view of the weather. For most of our late fall and winter and early spring, the whole country is forever in minus temperatures. This to me, weighs on the syche...always saying minus does leave a sour note in our wishing it to be milder. Like last winter, it didn't start until mid January...I was golfing on this date last year....shot a respectible 85. I think eventually the U.S. will join the rest of the world by using the metric system. It does in most scientific and manufacturing processes....only in temperatures does it hang on to the old ways. And you too can learn to appreciate + numbers.

gardengal, it really depends on your climate. If you got dug up every year & chucked in a freezer you might feel a bit under the weather yourself ;-) As for hybrids being weak.. most garden tulips are hybrids, & of 20-odd tulip varieties on my block I'm the ONLY one with species tulips. No one here digs up their tulips. Across the road there's a clump of hybrid tulips that have been there at least 40 years in complete neglect, had a hedge planted on top of them, had the hedge removed, and they are there every year, faithfully. I fought a garden hybrid for 10 years, I'd miss one bulblet & the next year it would be back. Tulips seem to love this climate, & that's probably the key here. Some hybrids may be weaker, absolutely, but there's something called hybrid vigor, too. Think of mules. I do every time I try to move one of these stubborn beggers. :-)

I bought Lowe sut of there spring bulbs about five hundred, they are all bloming now wish I new how to post a picture they are truly outstanding, Three types of new dafodils, thre types of hycinths, and several types of dutch iris Would like to set up a large trade for your irises,Ive got many many plants to trade right now I have ornamental grases five diferent types and water plants and canna lilies bought from lowes last year,lets trade Hightider

I agree with oil painter. many of our techniques actually have the same results. The difference is simply the approach. The potted tulip method is something of convenience. the tulips are already potted and it a simple matter of removing the pot. This is a technique promoted by Alan Titschmarch (spelling?) the fellow behind BBC gardens show. John's techniques have a similar effect, only you dig up the tulips and pot them up. Oilpainter, BTW although I do mix up early, mid and late tulips and cap it off with daffodils, I also do plant annuals in that one spot, which does hide the dying foliage. I just choose annuals I start off from seed so these start growing as the foliage begin dying. However because I do use late season tulips the awkward gap between flowering is very minimal, in fact the emergence of my allium purple sensations begin very shortly after, followed closely by the sages and the delphiniums. In anycase, the result is that the dying foliage no longer becomes apparent and the eyes are diverted to the other blooms. Anyhow, sorry for the prolonged discussion. it's a very simple thing and so do enjoy the process.