Azaleas are generally treated like rhododendrons. Both are generally pruned after flowering, which would be in spring. However, you can remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches at any time. To induce growth from roots, snip branches from weak, leggy plants. We would advise waiting until spring (which, depending on where you reside could be a different time; North Carolina Cooperative Extension, for ex., suggests that February would be the right time. To find the Coop Ext service nearest you, click here: https://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-services ).
Cutting back to a foot or so should not be a problem. Keep the soil moist afterward and some sources recommend fertilizing with a high-nitrogen (leaf-promoting) fertilizer, such as a 12-6-6.
Azaleas are generally treated like rhododendrons. Both are generally pruned after flowering, which would be in spring. However, you can remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches at any time. To induce growth from roots, snip branches from weak, leggy plants. We would advise waiting until spring (which, depending on where you reside could be a different time; North Carolina Cooperative Extension, for ex., suggests that February would be the right time. To find the Coop Ext service nearest you, click here: https://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-services ).
Cutting back to a foot or so should not be a problem. Keep the soil moist afterward and some sources recommend fertilizing with a high-nitrogen (leaf-promoting) fertilizer, such as a 12-6-6.