In the winter, what kills hardy plants and bulbs more often, not the ice but the cold itself. Make sure that the drainage in the container is excellent and the water from melting snow or from routine watering does not get trapped in the container to freeze will help keep you tulip bulbs alive over the winter.
While your tulips are
growing and blooming during the
spring, they will be storing energy to help them survive the winter. The more energy you can help them store, the more likely they are to survive. In containers, the bulbs will not have as much opportunity to seek out nutrients. You will be their only source to make sure they have enough.
While your tulip bulbs will not need much water over the winter, they will need some. If your tulip bulbs are stored in a place where they will get snowed on (and then watered by melting snow) or there has been a lack of precipitation over the winter, you will need to occasionally water your tulip bulbs in containers. If you need to provide water, about once a month, water the container. In the winter, tulip bulbs do not need to be fertilizer. Hold off on fertilizing until the early
spring when you put the container back outside so that the tulips can grow.