Ideally you should let the foliage die back naturally, let the bulbs go dormant, and then lift and replant. Your best bet would be to try to unearth them without too much disturbace, keeping the rootball intact, and store them in pots until fall. Then when the foliage has died and they are dormant you can replant them. The bulbs need the foliage to remain in place to replace their stores of energy for next year's growth before they go dormant. Do not cut the stems back now, you will surely hurt them. Good luck!

Lilies do not go dormant like other bulbs. Once lifted, the bulbs should be replanted as soon as possible. You can carefully dig out the bulbs, stem and all, and replant immediately in the new location. Leave the entire stem present until all the foliage dies back and then you can cut off. I always leave a few inches remaining just to mark where the lilies are for future reference (and to prevent their being trod on when working or adding plantings later).

a friend gave me some lilies this year she dug right out of the ground in mid-bloom. she told me "i have done this for years this way so i know what colors they are" they went in the ground some had no bulbs! but the flowers continued to bloom. approaching fall now and they appear as if nothing ever disturbed them. dying back just like the others :)

I have also moved them before the stem dies back. I leave the stem in place and replant immediately. I have also mailed them by only cutting the stem short enough to fit into a long box, wrapping bumbling damp paper towels and saran wrap which must be removed as soon as possible and planted.

I have also moved them before the stem dies back. I leave the stem in place and replant immediately. I have also mailed them by only cutting the stem short enough to fit into a long box, wrapping bulb in damp paper towels and saran wrap which must be removed as soon as possible and planted.