This little blurb was in a newsletter I get:
Garden Doctor Question of the Week:
Q: There've been warmer-than-normal temperatures in my area this winter. I can see tulips starting to sprout. What can I do to save them so they don't all die when it freezes?
A: Happily, you don't need to worry. Bulb leaves have sugars in them that work as a natural antifreeze. The sugars protect the leaves in frosty conditions. Even if you do get a hard freeze, it won't hurt the blooms or the bulbs themselves if the leaf tips get burned by the cold.
Plus, when temperatures cool back down to normal, they'll stop growing so you don't need to worry about them blooming way too early. So, don't worry about your tulips. They should grow and bloom just fine in the spring.
*** *** ***Source Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 10:22:58 -0500 (EST) From: "Garden Notes - BHG.com"
This is a Better Homes & Gardens magazine newsletter. It's supposed to convince you to subscribe to their magazines. Even if you don't (I don't) they occasionally have some handy information in their newsletters.
My tulips are all buried under about 5' of snow right now.
Jan