I usually leave mine in the tubs and feed them for another couple of weeks until the foliage dies back. you can then lift them and I put them into old compost/soil round the back of the greenhouse out of sight. I then repot them in autumn. In some large pots I just leave them and plant the bedding next to the dying stems. as they grow and the tulips fade they are easy to remove.

Thanks SBG, I didn't think it was right to store them dry as they've had no time to build up for next year. I'll try leaving some in their tubs and planting round them as you suggest and can easily hide the rest down by the compost bins in some old plastic tubs. I just wasn't sure of the best way to deal with them, and I hadn't thought of planting between them.

One trick I found when planting up containers was to plant stuff that's to be moved early into pots and sink the pots into the troughs. Then when they've finished you can just lift the pots out & plant something else (possibly in another pot) in the hole.

For me, tulips aren't worth the fuss. Maybe I'll get a 2nd year out of them, but it's never like the 1st. I simply plant new ones in the fall.

I find they vary. A few have really settled and spread, especially the lovely species ones, but others just send up a mean leaf or two and no flowers. A clump of big yellow ones has tripled over the years so I do think its worth planting them out in the border. Agree I wouldn't bother with them in containers for a second year.

i like the idea of sinking early pots into the containers but I'm not sure it would work with the tulips. I'll certainly use the tip for next year for the coloured primroses though.
I'll give the tulips a chance for next year after feeding as Sbg suggests and see how they do. Thanks everyone.