Here are some pictures.

Here is a link that might be useful: Encore Azaleas Pictures

Just to see if I understood, rolacoy, the purpose of the "plastic over the shrubs" experiment is to see if that makes them produce more leaves?

I just wondered if they would start growing earlier with the plastic. Also they don't look too healthy to me, because they seem to have lost a lot of leaves during the winter.

I was hoping someone with a more similar climate would answer you, my first thought when looking at your photos is 'dry'. But I don't know if that is summer dry, or if you experienced cold drying winds over winter (which had odd temperatures for many of us).

Oak are generally considered good companion trees for underplanting with azaleas and rhododendrons although while not growing them, I understand the Encores will take more sun than many. Most oak are not surface rooted so offer little competition for water and nutrients and the shade they provide usually filtered, not dense.

I know it's been some time since you planted, but do you remember roughening up those rootballs when you took them from the containers, before installing them in the ground?

As for the plastic - I can't really see anything to be gained there by covering them in earliest Spring.

Yes I did rough up the root balls. They were in the ground under the Oaks for about a year and they just got worse and worse till I put them into pots. They seem to be doing just fine now. However, I did lose, I think 3. I need to replant them now, but I have not decided where to plant them.

Yes I did rough up the root balls. They were in the ground under the Oaks for about a year and they just got worse and worse till I put them into pots. They seem to be doing just fine now. However, I did lose, I think 3. I need to replant them now, but I have not decided where to plant them.