Holly, it they're not root bound and you can really wait until Fall when the air temps cool, but the ground temps are still warm...that's what I'd do. I hate the pot ghetto I have going here too from the sales, but why risk it?
-Nan

I personally find plants do better in the ground than in pots. I think part of it is the ground is cooler, plus there is more volume to hold water. I would not hack too much at the roots though when you put them in the ground.

Lisa

Plant them!! especially if you can't water. they are less bound to dry out in the ground than in a pot i think!:)

Plant, plant, plant!! Then pray for rain.
Bill

Much better to plant. It is way easier for them to survive in the ground even when there is a drought. A pot dries out way faster than the ground!! I'm with greenthumbgardener! A plant alway does better in the ground.

Water your ground really well before you plant, then water them in after you plant, to get rid of any air pockets. Your plants will do much better in the ground than in a pot.

Janie

If you can stand the "look" - - fill some plastic jugs with water and a few pin holes in the bottom for a slow drip while you are out. I tried this after transplanting a few things and it kept the soil moist (during the day while in the 90s) and my plants survived. You may have to fill them once in a while but it helps to know some watering is going on while you are out. Good luck. Carrie

What Janie said; and lots of mulch and a soaker hose.

Nell

I had some plants in containers and was going on a week vacation. I put them in the ground in the shade and watered good for a couple days before I left and they all made it. We had no rain while I was gone and the tempatures were in the high 90's. Good Luck

If you cant get them all in, as we have pretty much agreed is the best idea, you can knock together a sort of plant hotel that will get you through and be usefull in the future. I had a section of fence, between my house and my neighbors that was both very sheltered, unimproved, and sort of a micro climate. I rounded up some old boards. I had 4 2x6's available, and nailed them together in a rectangle shape that looked like a sort of empty window frame. Then I layed it down on the ground in my shady sheltered spot, and staple gunned a sheet of 6 mil plastic inside of it. (think inside fitted sheet) be sure to leave one corner with enough extra plastic that you can just weight it, not staple it, so that when you get rain you can tug this corner down so the whole thing can drain. then I set the plants in and I filled around them with part of an old rotted straw bale I had, you could use compost or what ever.this will both keep them cool and moist. I used this for an ill-timed family vacation to disny land, when we were having a heat wave at home and didnt loose a thing. later in the season, I tented it with more 6 mil plastic doubled in a lean too against the fence,(plastic down the fence side, too, all tucked in) and it made a great cold frame. this lasted several years, and I have thought often that altho I finished off that area and there isnt room for the hotel there any longer I should put one someplace else, because it really saved me over and over.

Okay, I'm going to try to get them in the ground this weekend. Just not tomorrow, because I have three birthday parties to chauffer children too!!! Besides, I have acquired even more to plant since the posting, and have a nice sized gift card to Home Depot coming in the mail, so I am sure I will be adding even more (goodness, I can't wait until all of this comes back BETTER next year!!!)
I'm just going to have to make sure I water, water, water until we get a break in the heat!