Should i plant potted shrubs and tree now or in fall?

i have several potted shrubs (quart size) from lazyssfarm's big box sale, and one large 6' tall vanderwolf pine in a 20gal container on sale from home depot. should i plant now or keep them in pots until fall for best results? isn't it more stressful for the plant to take the heat of summer in a pot than in the ground? this is assuming that i would water both just as frequently, which i will if i plant now or keep them in pots all summer.
thanks everyone!

Where are you located? If you have very hot summers it may be better to keep them in pots and plant them in fall when the weather gets cooler. I do that all the time--I put the containers somewhere that's protected from the hottest afternoon sun to keep them from drying out too quickly, then plant them out in the fall.

i'm zone 7, mid-atlantic coast. so i should keep them in a spot with afternoon shade until it gets cooler, huh?

I plant potted trees and shrubs any time during the summer with no problems. You must keep them watered on a regular basis (if you plant them correctly to start with).
Not suggesting you do the same at all. Just saying it's doable.

I have tried both methods and ended up sticking with what ecrane suggests--keep them where they will get morning sun and afternoon shade. The roots of plants, especially new ones, can only take up so much water at a time and if the temps are very hot, they can't possibly take up enough to stay alive. They have a decent chance of surviving if you live in a cooler climate where they won't be stressed by hot temps on a daily basis. It's just much easier for plants to survive if they don't have the added stress of too much heat. Fall planted plants end up being much stronger and healthier.

I'm waiting to do all mine that are in pots, esp with the crazy heat we've been having.

I have so many plants to plant that I do plant some through the summer if I can and only if I can watch them closely. So far I haven't lost any.

killdawabbit,
As I said, I've summer planted before and it does keep you hopping and worrying, doesn't it :-} After we finished building our house and I was trying to landscape is when I summer planted quite a lot (I was still working full-time too) and I wore myself out trying to keep everything alive. I lost about 1/3 of what I planted which is why I've switched to planting only in the fall.

Yes, naturelover. You do have to keep a close eye on them if planted in the summer. I usually don't get a chance to plant much in the summer because of so many other things to do. But I do plant if I can so it doesn't all pile up for the fall and winter. I barely manage to get it all planted then. And adding propagating and spreading perennials makes it even harder. Never enough time.

If you plant them and they are to be in the sun then protect them with a make-shift screen/shade. I planted some plants later in the season also, and I used a landscape brick and a piece of plywood to create a tent for it. Make sure to keep it watered and don't fret if you see it wilt...it'll probably go through shock and humidity doesn't help either. If you keep it in the pot, keep it in part shade and water constantly for it will dry out quickly.

The thing that worries me about your question Audrey is the fact that the shrubs are is such little pots. A lot of your garden store variety from Home Depot and Lowes can be root bound in those small pots and the dirt that is used just doesn't absorb water that well. If I was gonna wait to plant until fall I would put them in bigger pots with good fresh potting soil.

And about those root bound plants. Break those roots up really good. Massacre the root ball or usually the plant will just sit there for years with its roots all balled up.

I'll add my two cents worth to the subject, for what it's worth. I work at a garden center. You can plant potted plants, shrubs, and trees anytime during the summer (spring is the preferable time). In fact they are better off in the ground in July heat than in a pot with the air temperature at 80-90 degrees. Killdawabbit has good advice about the roots. By now the roots are probably going round and round in circles. I would take a knife and slice down the pot shaped root mass, at two inch intervals, all the way around. You don't have to go in very deep, but you want to cut the roots to encourage new rooting. Otherwise the plant will strangle itself if the roots are left growing in circles. You can apply some root stimulator to the roots when planting. Water the plants well, and water regularly. It will help to get it well rooted before winter sets in. I know that happens later in zone 7 than it does in Wisconsin. First frost is in only about two months here. Sorry this was so long. Hope it helps.