Hello jaybird,
I was down in the tampa area last summer, it was the last week before the 4th of July hoilday. I went to a couple Lowe's, Home Depot's and then checked out an actual garden center. I thought there would have been a lot more trees to look at but was surprised at how little was actually available. I was told that most people plant in the spring because the trees need that time to establish there roots so they can handle droughts, but was told that planting in the fall can be dangerous because the trees don't have enough time to re establish before winter sets in. Hopefully you guys wont have the winter that you had last year. Many people that I have met on the GW lost some fantastic tropical fruit trees. I would think that it would be better to be safe than sorry. Maybe you could buy the trees and just keep them in there pots until spring returns.

Aren't you going into the dry season. You usually get afternoon rain during the Summer but if I remember correctly, Winter is the dry season. Between the cooler temps and drier conditions, I would wait until Spring.

You should be able to plant all winter in your location. The soil will stay a lot warmer than the air, and roots continue to develop and establish much of the winter. It's quite incorrect to think that the roots of woody trees and shrubs (or much of anything) stop growing in the fall and winter.

Even deciduous trees that are fully dormant should be planted in the fall/winter in your climate. The roots will grow! You probably have several months of establishment time ahead of you, until the soil gets cold enough at root level to slow down growth. By that time, unless your trees are extremely large, they should be fully established.

As a matter of fact, fall is THE ideal time for planting in warm climates. The top growth slows down so that the plant can concentrate on root development. It's a good thing. It used to be common knowledge; I wonder why it isn't anymore.

Your trees should be well established by the time hot temperatures roll around in the spring of next year. The last thing you want your new trees to experience is bud break, new growth, and hot temperatures on a root system that isn't developed yet.

Be sure to follow proper planting methods...dig the hole no deeper than is needed for the rootball to sit at soil grade or higher....but two to three times wider. Do NOT add soil amendments of any kind into the hole or mix with the backfill. Use the native soil. Mulch with a 2 to 3 inch layer of something organic like pine straw, bark chips, etc. but do not pile the mulch up against the trunk. Be sure to keep the root ball watered and moist.

Fall is the time for planting in all warmer climates. Actually, this is true for anyplace where the soil doesn't freeze solid.

Don't trust information you get from HomeDepot. Once year, I over heard a clerk telling a customer that she could plant the cut Christmas tree she had just purchased in the ground after the holidays. A CUT Fraser Fir! Lordy.

Rhizo, is that true of areas like where I live south of houston? We had that bad winter too last year, but this is my first year growing. It rarely gets below 30 around here. I have a few small trees I was thinking about repotting in larger pots.

Yes, it would be totally true for your location.

By the way, this discussion is for planting in the ground, not boosting up to larger containers. Always, container grown plants are susceptible to temperature extremes when in situ plants are not.

Last year was an exception to the rule. One single year of record breaking temperatures (too hot or too cold) should never determine how we live, grow our plants, etc.

Okay, thanks a lot. Yeah, I figured the potted plants were more susceptible due to the fact that they don't have the entire Earth to warm them. Common sense I guess, I should have thought more before I asked. I just have too many citrus and not enough ground, hah.

Wait until spring in Houston area to plant. The tree won't grow in the winter and on top of that it may freeze dead. BTW last winter had 19F here 100 miles east of you.

Here is a link that might be useful: mrtexas

Even though the TOP isn't growing, the roots are. Fall is really the best time to plant in warm climates. If one is going to worry about the occasional severe winter temperatures, then we'd never be able to plant anything outside.

Plant it, foster the root system, mulch it, protect it (if necessary) in periods of severe cold.