Transplanting tips in Zone 4a/4b for bulbs

I have been offered the chance to take out a number of plants (almost all bulbs, I believe) from a friend's garden. She doesn't know what most/any of the plants are. They are all done blooming. They were growing in the border along her house and all appear to be lily type foliage? Her mother in law works at a local landscaper and she said the bulbs she rec'd were the extras/unlabeled bulbs from the store.

Any recommendations on how I can safely take out these plants without killing them off? Right now, we're in a pretty dry spell and it's in the high 70's to mid 80's during the day and in the high 40's-mid 50's at night. She wants to get the plants out pretty soon (this week...). I'm a first year gardener, so I really don't know what I can safely do...(Cut down all the foliage? Keep it tall and move bulb/roots?Dig out area around stem base and replant with dirt?) Free plants are pretty valuable for a first year homeowner with tons of space to fill, so I'll take all advice I can get!

Ok, this is what you do, I do this all the time for clients. If the ground is somewhat moist dig those babies out. If you know where you want to put them this is what you do. Cut the foilage so theres about 1-2 inches left. Cut the roots so you have 1/2 as much as what you see on the bubls when you dig them out. Plant them in the soil hopefully it's pretty good if not add some compost. If there lillies they will look something like garlic bubls. They give off lots of baby bubls (bulbits). Bury them just to the top of the foilage. Don't worry if there not the right depth, bulbs will actuaaly pull themselves either up or down depending on what they need.Ok, now thats done, bulbs actually especially lilies aren't big feeder so if you want you can add some osmocote or any slow release fertilizer either in the bottom of the hole or around the top of the bulbs. I usually forget this part but they will survive. I move mine all the time. I think thats it, if it's not lilies it doesn't matter, do what I told you and the bulbs will be just fine. Sometimes, you have iris rhizomes you can put them in ableach solution for around 5 mins. to kill any bacteria, insects and fungus they might have.Let me know if this helps you, it sounds like a lot but I just movwe a couple hundred bulbs today. oH, water them in really good when your done.

If she didn't really need to hurry to get them out of there, I think it may be best to wait until the foliage is done for the year too- that way the bulbs will have collected up what they need for growing next year (so they can give YOU a good show). Then you should be able to just dig them up, pull away the dead/wilted leaves, and plant them in your yard. I'm new-ish with the gardening myself, but I think if you need to do it right away, dig them up in bigger clumps with some soil, so they have less transplant shock, and keep the leaves on until they're done for the year. I have moved some bulbs in my yard this way and they did fine the following spring.

bulbs do well transplanting, they are very good at not shocking too much. All you need is a little green and sometimes thats not possible, like iries you may just have the rhizomes and no leaves. Thats okay, bury them half way out of the soil so the sun can hit the top of the rhizome and your good to go. You can even dig themup, put them in a bucket with just a bit of water, set it anywhere really and when your ready to plant there they are.

I always let the foliage/stems etc die down naturally to allow the bulbs to store this food from the foliage for stronger and better bulbs/flower the following year, bot all lily bulbs look like Garlic either, most are like onions and you need to be careful you dont break up the layers of the bulbs, for planting any bulbs, it is a guide to plant them 3 times the size of the bulbs, as a rule if your bulbs is about 2 inches from the root end to the tip of the bulb, then you plant them about 6 inches under ground, prepare the soil well with rich compost etc and if you are used to wet or cold winters, it is a good idea to add some horticultural sand at the bottom of the planting hole for better winter drainage, in drier conditions, the good animal manure or rich compost will do, for just compost add a handful of organic feed like a multi purpose feed that is slow release.
IF you can manage to hang back with the transplanting till the weather is a bit cooler, then go to where the bulbs are growing and stick a marker or garden cane into the soil so that when the foliage has dried and went brown, you can just dig them up then as they will be more or less in there dormant resting stage, remember to mark the area when you put them in your garden as they wont be seen again till next year and you can damage the growing tips if you stand on them as you weed the garden next spring. just dont miss the chance of getting hold of them as it is great to be given free plants.
If there are irises, then only cut the foliage down to about six inches from the tubers as this will help to stabilize them where you transplant them, you will need to cut of all the old bits of tubers from the center of the clumps so you only plant the good healthy bits, you dont want to fill your holes with plant material that has stopped flowering due to age or exhaustion, Irises need lifted and separated about every 3-4 years IF they are the tuberous type, if they are the bulb type then treat the same way as the lily bulbs, with the exception that the tuberous type only get planted so that the top of the tuber is almost out the soil as they need the full sun to ripen the tuber to give flowers, too deep and you will only get greenery and no flowers. Good luck. WeeNel.

weenel, my lily bulbs look like garlic. Made of many setions around a central base.

Last winter was rough here in Wisconsin with early snow, lots of snow, and snow past Easter. Then this summer the heavy rain followed by a dry spell this August has been rough on gardners and people living in the Dells. If your friend's plants are aclimated to our climate you are 10 steps ahead of the game. If the woolly caterpillars are true to old wives tales then this winter is going to be another bad one.

Tennessee is right get them out ... obviously with our current weather you don't need to wait for the ground to dry :) And then get them in the ground on your property. I wouldn't worry about clipping foliage or starters. Lilies do well here. Last winter I forgot two grocery bags of daylilies in the garage, planted them in the spring and they're fine. I have a favorite greenhouse that sells "post bloom" asiatics for a great deal that I reguarly buy. I'm never sure what cultivar I get but they still smell great.

As far as not knowing what is what ... get them in the ground before frost. When stuff starts greening up and blooming next summer, move them where you like. And if you change your mind the following summer, that is the beauty of gardening ... move them again!

your so right I love a surprise package. Stick um in and wait to see what goodies you have. If you don't like the area move um again next year. I had daffoildils in a pot for a year. I picked out the good ones and pitched the bad ones. It's that easy.

Thank you all for the excellent advice. I'm new to the DG community, and I truly appreciate being able to access the kind of experience that you offer! I'll let you know how it works out.
Thanks!
Cherie