I'm in zone 5b. Last year I bought some azaleas (don't know the variety
but
they were grown here) from my local garden shop and planted them in May in
my front yard in a spot that gets partial to full sun (southern exposure)
from dawn to dusk. They didn't seem to get any bigger but otherwise seemed
to do quite well besides needing an occasional soaking from the hose in
addition to our rainfall.

Were here in SW Ohio, Zone 6a. I have a few small azaleas that ended up
being potted at the end of last year (damned stray dog dug them up). Two
survived, one did not. The two that did make it are greening up well
although still a bit spotty in one case. One will likely start blooming
very soon.

Where in Zone 5b are you located? Something else to consider -- most
azaleas prefer it a bit shady; mine are under trees and get dappled light at
best for much of the season. Also, azaleas are not exactly noted for rapid
growth -- it takes them quite a bit to reach a mature size.

My question is this: with the rest of my yard just now thinking of
greening
up, I'm warily eyeing my azaleas. All their leaves are totally brown. Do I
need to do anything to them to ensure their continued good health? Pluck
the
leaves? Cut the ends off branches?

Have you noticed if the branches are brittle? Do you have any other plants
that are still dormant? If they're not in the ground (i.e., if they're
potted), you may want to move them somewhere that gets a bit more shade (if
they did well last year I wouldn't do this though). Do you know which
variety of azalea you purchased? Unfortunately, without living leaves
and/or flowers it may be a bit difficult to distinguish the variety.

All in all, I'd suggest simply waiting and giving them a bit more time.
Plenty of things are still waking up.

James