Hi Mccamley and welcome to GoY. Whereabouts are you in the UK? Some of our rhododendrons are already flowering and if your is an early flowerer would recommend you wait until after it has flowered now. Also if you are in the drought ridden part of the country it is not going to be easy to keep your rhodo. well watered after you have transplanted so better to wait until autumn. Unless you have neutral to acidic soil when you do plant out you will need to dig a very large planting hole and fill will ericaceous compost, plant at the same level that it was in the tub no deeper. Remember that rhododendrons are shallow rooted plants and that the roots are very fine hairs so it can take them a good year to spread out into the surrounding compost, hence the need to keep well watered.

thank you moon grow for your reply i stay in glasgow scotland and my rhody is not flowering yet do you think i should wait till next autumn or should i plant now

If it is a late flowering rhodo you can risk planting it out now make sure you keep it well watered, even if you do get rain.

many thanks moon grow for your help it is appreciated

You are welcome Mccamley