A better time might be now - Azaleas move fairly easily and you do say yours are small, but the period of active growth immediately after bloom is not the best time for moving them. If you were to avoid just those weeks, any other time of year when the weather is not too hot would work in your zone. Roots will be mostly surface and fine, extending as far as the widest branches. You should only find just a few deeper anchoring roots. If your weather has been dry and you are not concerned about the weight of the rootball, water well the day before. Careful not to plant any deeper than they were originally growing, mulch, keep moist...they should do well.

A general rule to follow is you may move it any time the ground is not frozen and it is not in active growth - the period of active growth being immediately after bloom when new foliage buds are opening. As for site, it's anything goes in my climate where I have frequent cloud cover and cool summers. For a Z5, East facing would be the right amount of sun and often works well, but winter sun in early morning can damage frozen leaves and flower buds of the early-flowering types. Southern exposures are almost always too hot. West can work if azaleas are backed by other shrubs or trees, but up against a west facing wall/house may be too much afternoon sun/heat and plants will burn. North is usually safe in your climate.

Sure. Be sure to root prune also. When transplanting a large plant several steps should be followed. * First, it is best to stimulate a tight root ball by root pruning the plants to be moved before moving. This is accomplished by cutting a circle around the plant stem with a shovel to cut off roots that extend beyond this point. This radius is usually about half way to the drip line. * Second, it is best to move when the plant is dormant and not stressed. This would be in the spring and fall when the plant is still dormant but the soil is not frozen. Moving in the fall before the ground freezes is preferable if you don't have a problem with frost heaving. Sometimes winter freezing and thawing cycles can actually lift a transplanted plant out of the ground where the roots are then desiccated and the plant dies. For this reason, it is safer to transplant in the spring after the ground thaws in climates where frost heaving is a problem. * Third, take precautions to preserve the integrity of the root ball. Tie the ball together and support it so it doesn't fall apart. The very safest approach is to dig a trench up to 12 inches deep, around the dripline of the plant. Then undercut the plant to form a cone, removing the soil an inch or so at a time, moving all around the plant, until you begin to see that you are removing roots. If possible, then get a square of burlap under the plant. Tilt the plant to one side, put one edge of the burlap close to the center of the plant, wadded up so that only half of it is on the open side of the plant, then rock the plant the other way and pull the burlap through. Tie the corners of the burlap to each other across the plant. Tie the burlap tightly to keep the soil around the plant roots undisturbed. Then lift the plant by the burlap and the bottom, not by its stems. If the plant is very large it is important to dig a wide root ball. Don't worry about digging deep into the soil since most azalea & rhododendron roots are near the surface. Dig the plant, preserving a root ball as wide as can be safely moved. You can lift it onto a tarp and then use the tarp to drag the plant to its new location rather than picking it up. Be sure not to plant too deeply and water it thoroughly after transplanting. * Finally, pruning the top helps match the demands of the top to the capability of the roots after they are stressed by the move. People have been known to cut the top off wild rhododendrons before moving and the plants have come back with superior shape. This is drastic and not recommended for a plant you don't want to risk loosing. Rhododendrons and azaleas have dormant buds beneath the bark which sprout to form new growth after severe pruning, hence severe pruning which removes 1/3 to 1/2 of leaf area is quite common when transplanting. Make sure you watch the plant after it was moved like you would a new plant. Its roots are compromised and it will need a reliable source of moisture. If the weather has a dry spell, make sure you water any newly planted rhododendrons, large or small. If you prune now, you will still have flower buds next year. Here is a link that might be useful: How to grow rhododendrons and azaleas.

Thank you Lucy. The planting site fits your description. The nursery that is planting it said that it will be a few inches above ground level and the hole will not be much larger then the root ball. I think that sounds OK especially because the surrounding soil is pretty good and I do expect some settling because of old Cherry tree roots that are breaking down. He did mention leaving on the wire basket. I mentioned cutting back the wire in areas where roots could (down the road) become girdled. Should I have him remove the basket, or will that disturb the roots too much? Do you think I should stake it for the first year? I am not sure how much wind moves through that area. I'll check it out next windy day. Is there anything else I should be thinking about? Thank you in advance. Ally