Hello, jimnjcil. I think you planted a liiiiitle to late for NJ and the weather did them in. Instead of planting in October, you should have done so in late August or early September. That allows the plants to get established before the ground freezes.
The main problem you will have in NJ is desiccation of the foliage when the ground freezes and sun & wind attack the leaves. What can you do? Lowe's should have selected varieties good for your
zone; you can keep them well mulched with 3-4" of pine bark mulch; you can utilize windbreaks, sun shades and chemical anti-transpirants; and you can be alert for conditions that can break dormancy.
Drying winter winds and bright sun require that you protect their shallow roots with mulch (oak leaves, pine bark mulch or pine needles) and their foliage with a loose blanket of evergreen boughs or specially built screens. Such screens must provide shade without capturing heat. A burlap screen will protect a plant while a black or clear plastic bag will cook a plant. Keep the mulch away from the trunk of the plant. This avoids bark split, fungus and rodent damage.
Chemical antitranspirants can be used to protect the pores through which the leaves loose moisture. However, they must be designed to naturally degrade so they don't interfere with the normal operation of the pores during the
growing season. This usually means the antitranspirants need to be applied at least twice during the winter, but not too close to the
growing season.
Dormancy is a normal process in which the plant goes into rest during the winter and it allows the plant to survive. Dormancy is caused by short days, low temperatures and drought. But several things can break or prevent it: fertilizer applied after July can keep the plant
growing when it should be going into dormancy (note: you should not have to fertilize azaleas unless
growing in pots or in soil with low nutrients); warm weather during winter can break dormancy; a warm fall followed by a sudden chilly weather will expose your azaleas to cold before they are dormant.
For more information, please refer to the Azalea Society of America's Website at
http://www.azaleas.org/index.html or to the Tappan Zee Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society in NJ at
http://www.tappanzee.orgDoes that help you, jimnjcil?
Luis