Tim, Potatoes will recover from frost. Also, letting the eyes start to grow is one of the techniques used to get potatoes started fast.

Dig trenches and bury the potatoes in the trenches. Not too deep. You can use straw to mulch if you think the cold weather is going to persist.

Tim,

I had a high school teacher that told us his dad always planted potatoes on St. Patrick's Day, even if he had to shovel snow off the ground! We live in Ohio and usually have several freezes after the middle of March, though rarely a deep one.

And like ig said, it will not hurt the taters a bit to sit around for a few days - that's the usual way of preparing them. If anything, it will make them less likely to rot.

Mike

Yeah,
What Idaho said ;-)

You are going to put a few inches of dirt on them,that will insulate them, plus I always let them sprout first,that way there is no doubt they are going to produce fruit...You are fine ,even if you want to wait a few more days,they are growing now,so you aren't losing any time....

Here is a link that might be useful: Harvesting Early Potatoes 2009 #1

Potatoes take 4 weeks to sprout above the surface in NE FL. Should give you some time further north. I planted mine on 2/13/10 at 4 inches deep.

David

For home gardeners, it is better to let your seeds sprout inside, on your kitchen counter, e.g., for couple of weeks before planting. of course, a commercial grover/farmer cannot afford doing this.
Then plant them about 6 weeks before your last frost date. In the event they come up and a frost is in the forecast , you have to cover and protect them, with straw, leaves, blankets, whatever.

I think all the plants are a little "behind" this year in my part of the country. Last year on today's date I had crocuses in bloom and tulips close behind. This year the foliage has barely broken the soil surface and is approximately 20% of its mature size. It has been relatively colder in KY than most years and I noticed on the news that Texas has been generally colder this year(viva El Nino). My advice is to wait a week or two and then put them in the ground because the risk of putting in too early is that your seed potatoes will rot before they root. Risk of waiting is minimal if potatoes kept in cool, dark, and dry place.