It is hard to tell until you actually check and no longer see "green" (then it is too late of course). Since leaf out could take a while and may not occur until Spring, I would make sure that they remain well mulched and that the soil is as evenly moist as you can (with no periods of dry followed by wet followed by dry and so forth). About 3-4" of mulch up to the drip line should suffice and should lengthen the days between waterings. Test the soil with a finger to make sure you are not overdoing it (insert a finger to a depth of 4" and water if it feels dry or almost dry). Pick up any plant debris under the trees & dispose in the trash or compost pile while you are watering. Before watering, amend the soil if your soil is alkaline so you do not have to water a second time after amending the soil.

The most economical method of 'saving' these lovely, old specimens is to get in there and take lots of cuttings. Plants that old will be difficult to move, successfully, without the use of a small tree spade and professional operator. You 'might' be able to locate a highly trained arborist who can do this type of work, as well. Look for ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) Certified arborists in the yellow pages. There are several in the Lowcountry of Georgia and SC, as I recall. Remember, the older the plant, the more fragile it is in terms of being able to withstand major (or even minor) stresses and changes. Just like people.

You can prune it any time of year, you will just sacrifice next year's blooms doing it this late in summer. I had to do the same thing when we moved into this house in the Fall. Some genius planted a camellia about eight inches from the foundation and it was HUGE! It has come back wonderfully -- cut from its original 7 ft to about a foot. Now, four years later it is about three feet and nicely bushy. Has bloomed every year except for that first spring.

For the nourishment it's receiving it's doing well, but then many a plant likes to be neglected. Been" off the air", had to get a new computer. Now I'm trying to catch up.