You may not have the right varieties, correctly spaced, to grow them as a hedge, different azaleas mature to different sizes.

There isn't a healthy way to stimulate their growth and speed the process...lightly prune with hedge shears if you wish, immediately following bloom in Spring.

Thanks for your response. I think you are correct in that they are spaced too far apart. I have three and they are barely touching eachother. Can I move the middle one over and transplant one from the backyard so I is thicker? When is the best time to transplant azaleas without harming them? Thanks

In Zone 7, you can move them any time they are not in active growth or the ground is not frozen. Period of active growth - when the foliage buds are opening right after they bloom.

I just got finished transplanting my azaleas. I had three in the front yard. I moved the middle one over toward the first one and transplated one from the backyard in the vacant space. I now have four azaleas in a row. (the hope is that they will grow together to from a hedge like the opposite side of my yard). Here is my next question. The azalea from the backyard is signaficantly taller than the other three. It is also very bushy because it was growing wild in the backyard. When can I prune it? Should I wait until June after it blooms. Should I wait until it adjusts to its new surroundings? It will need a major prune. Thanks...

If you are think you are past the possibility of a hard frost that could damage new growth buds that might be stimulated by pruning and the plant is healthy, you could prune now...but you will lose flowers for this year.

If you want to enjoy the flowers, prune immediately following bloom. Hopefully you got enough of the rootball (and then mulched over the root zone) that it won't need much in the way of adjusting to it's new site other than closer attention than normal to watering.

Thanks Morz8!! I believe we are not out of danger yet for another frost so I think I should wait a month or so before pruning. Can the azalea take a massive prune? or should I do it a little at a time?

I think I got most of the rootball. It is a very large azalea and must be at least 30 years old.

You can get mixed opinions on hard pruning...some will tell you to play it safe and spread it out over a three year period. I tend to go for the all or nothing approach myself, and hard prune when necessary all at once (to the point sometimes of leaving nothing but bare short stems). I've never had one not recover completely and nicely.

Since I just moved the plant, it is better I wait to prune until the there is no danger of frost. Maybe sometime in april? I think it would make more sense to prune before it flowers so the plant puts its energy into its new shape. Is that correct? Thanks so much morz8! You have been extremely helpful.

Don't wait, prune now. It will reduce the demands on the roots and in general add to the vigor of the plant. Yes, you are correct that it is best to sacrifice this years flowers to help the plant cope with being moved. While you are pruning, open up the center of the plant by removing dead or crossing branches.

But can I prune now when the temperature can drop as low as the teens at night? Thanks

If temps are dropping into the teens, I'd wait. One of my neighbors had a mow and blow type service prune some rhodys for him a few weeks ago during a nice stretch...this morning I noticed definite damage to the emerging growth buds after a drop to 22F (record low) here. Frost in the forecast with temperatures hovering briefly right around freezing would be OK, hard frost after buds begin to emerge might not be.

Another thing, I find information easily on the thoughts of how much plant energy it takes rhododendrons and azaleas to set seed, or set flower buds (substantial for both), but none as to how much energy it takes for the actual bud-opening bloom process. That makes me wonder if blooming is strenuous at all on azaleas, but I just don't know.

I have been waiting to prune my azalea. Nightime temps have been around 20 degrees. Daytime temps have been in the lower 40's. Is this still too cold to do a massive prune?? I am a little over eager since this azalea is now in my front yard and it is way to large for its new space. Thanks again....

Low night time temperature's don't have anything to do with pruning. The branches should be thawed out when pruned. Pruning frozen branches can be mechanically difficult and lead to other problems unless you restrict yourself to a saw. Pruning doesn't stimulate premature growth, it just stimulates more growth at the time a plant normally bursts into growth. For that reason pruning in the fall is just as safe as pruning in the spring if you don't care about pruning off flower buds. Make sure the branches are not frozen before pruning. If they prune easily with a pruner, go for it.

Cristineny, a different opinion...New growth is stimulated by not pruning alone, but in combination with temperatures and increasing daylight hours.

Here, and from what I've been reading, many parts of the country are experiencing odd weather patterns this year, and while we can't control the weather, we can control our pruning impulses :) You're anxious to get started, but there is no real emergency here.

We had our usual mild days, frost free nights, days beginning to lengthen and many plants were confused into thinking it was Spring. Buds that would have remained dormant on rhododendrons and azaleas (had they not been pruned) just a few doors away began to break....we experienced record low temperatures for 72 hours and in examining them again this morning, I'd say the new tender buds were killed and the plants are going to require more pruning. I see no advantage to Fall or Winter pruning, and it does involve some risk - cold damage is more severe around pruning wounds than on unpruned parts of the shrubs.