Well, ideally, iris shouldn't be very deep. And while it would probably be best for the iris to finish blooming and store up food before digging, but if you can't wait for that...it's kid of like my daddy always said. You prune when your knife is sharp. So dig while the digging is good.

I'd bring them home and get them back out right away and they will probably be ready to bloom next spring.

My understanding is that you aren't supposed dig Iris' until the end of June or July.

Yeah, a bit later is better -- but iris are tough!

Dig em out, cut the foliage back to around 6-12" high, let the tubers dry out a bit to seal any wounds you created from digging em up. Bring em home, plant em shallow, and stand back. ;-)

Do NOT transport in closed plastic bags, or anything that would hold too much moisture. Bearded irises can handle some dryness, it's the rot that'll get em. Probably paper bags would be best.

There's also something you can powder on the tubers for possible rot, but I can't think of it at the moment....I'm sure sulfur would work, but there's other stuff too....

Thanks so much for the good advice. We have them marked off with stakes and strings, so we can wait till later like y'all said.

Well, I looked it up. It seems that sulfur is the most common product for dusting the rhizomes. Other recommended products are lime, "bulb dust", and bleach.

Here's more than you ever wanted to know about iris dividing and general cultivation:

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=821

http://www.farm-garden.com/perennials/bearded_iris

http://www.gertens.com/learn/howtos/alphabetical/ah/dividingperennialsinthefall

http://www.au.gardenweb.com/forums/load/peren/msg0807001617668.html

http://guernsey.osu.edu/master-gardeners/midsummer-care-of-bearded-iris

http://www.irisgarden.org/irisculture3.html

http://www.rossde.com/garden/garden_divide_iris.html