[header] How to grow tulips [title] Purchase tulip bulbs. [step] You can buy them locally from a nursery or garden center or order them from a reputable mail order supply company. [substeps] If you pick them out yourself, look for bulbs that are firm to the touch and do not have defects such as mold, bruises or cuts. 
The bulbs should be light brown in color and covered in a papery, onion-like skin. In terms of quantity, each bulb will produce between one and four stems and blossoms, so plan accordingly.