When Should You Plant an Orange Tree in Florida? My $50 Hamlin Orange Tree

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I couldn't pass this one up. I found a Hamlin orange tree that was originally about $200 marked 75% off, which brought it down to around $50.

Since I've been slowly adding more fruit trees and thinking about my future food forest, this seemed like a pretty great clearance find. But bringing it home left me with another question: when should you plant an orange tree in Florida?

We're heading into fall, so I started wondering whether I should get this tree into the ground now or keep it in its container and wait until spring.

My clearance Hamlin orange tree — now I have to decide when to plant it.

I Found a $200 Orange Tree for $50

The clearance price was what originally caught my attention. The tag showed a regular price of $199, and at 75% off it came home with me for about $50.

The original price was $199 before the 75% clearance discount.

Clearance plants are quickly becoming one of my favorite ways to add to this project without spending a fortune. I'm definitely willing to give a less-than-perfect plant a chance when the price is right.

What Is a Hamlin Orange Tree?

Before bringing this tree home, I hadn't done a lot of research on the Hamlin variety specifically.

Hamlin is a sweet orange and is considered an early-season variety in Florida. It's one of the varieties recommended for Florida home landscapes, so that made me even happier about my clearance find.

The tag identifies my new citrus tree as a Hamlin orange.

When Should You Plant an Orange Tree in Florida?

This was the question that made me hesitate before immediately planting it.

According to current University of Florida IFAS citrus guidance, young citrus trees can be planted during most times of the year. However, in areas where freezing temperatures are possible, their recommendation is to delay planting until spring.

That's especially relevant to me in Central Florida. We may have a much warmer winter than a lot of the country, but freezes can still happen here.

UF/IFAS also recommends carefully choosing the planting location for citrus in parts of Central Florida where freezing weather is a possibility. A protected location can make a difference.

So my original question wasn't quite as simple as I thought: plant it now or wait until spring?

Watch My $50 Orange Tree Find

I shared the tree and my planting dilemma in this quick video:

Adding More Fruit Trees Without Spending a Fortune

Part of what I'm trying to do is slowly add more edible plants and fruit trees instead of feeling like I need to create the whole thing at once. Finding healthy-looking plants on clearance makes that a lot more affordable.

I'm also learning as I go. Some plants may work wonderfully here, some may need extra protection, and I'm sure I'll make a few mistakes along the way. That's part of the fun of seeing what this eventually turns into.

If you're planting fruit trees too, this is the gardening product I shared on Amazon .

Would You Plant It Now or Wait Until Spring?

For now, that's the decision I'm making with my $50 Hamlin orange tree.

If you grow citrus in Florida, especially in Central Florida, I'd love to hear what has worked for you.

Would you plant this orange tree now, or keep it protected and wait until spring?