If they are bare-root, plant them in pots. Put them someplace relatively cool, like a garage. If you've planted them, then cover them with leaves or a row cover. You can even put a blanket on them overnight.

Where were they grown? If around you, they might be pretty adjusted to your weather.

If they are suited to our zone and properly hardened off, then they are fine to plant out now. They won't mind a few frosty nights.

then pot them.... and put them in the garage .. like we do in the cold north ... in most of april and early may ..

just because you buy it.. or get you grubby little hands on them .. does not mean its planting time...

the garage trick is also a good way to harden of new plans to local conditions...

ken

Tuesday, 2/28, is about as cold as it's going to be for the next couple of weeks, otherwise the nighttime temps are barely hitting freezing, if that. There is NO reason cold hardy plants that have been acclimated to outdoor conditions cannot be planted in the ground now.

This is one of the benefits of posting questions like these in the appropriate regional forum, as gardeners that actually live there are best able to give gardening advice for that area.

Thanks for the encouragement! I went ahead and did a bunch of planting yesterday and today. The plants are in the ground. They seem to be happy.