I would say it depends on how healthy the plants are. If much of the plant has died off I would take some cuttings of the healthy parts, and root them. Let them grow for a while in the pot, and the parent plant grow. Once the cuttings root enough to need planting you can decide on which ones to go with. So far I have only had to pull one plant. I still have too much fruit on some of the others to wait till it ripens. Once they do I will asses the plant to make the decision.

If it looks like one long stem with little foliage left I would pull. I would replant in August, or Sept. be ready to cover them once Oct. rolls around. Once the big hard freeze that kill things off hits any that seem full sized, but are still green will ripen if you wrap then in new paper. Then put them in a box somewhere like in a closet. Check up on them once or twice a week till they turn color. Then put them out on the counter, or on a plate on top of the fridge for a few days till they ripen fully.

That's what I would do too. I decided a few years ago that it wasn't worth the cost of watering to try to keep the tomatoes alive through August. When they quit producing, I'm done with them.

Kyle,
so you are thinking of planting the cutting in the ground mid-July... but the intense heat will be around until the end of August... so in the meantime you are still having to keep the plant alive, but I guess the difference is that you are keeping a smaller plant alive, right, so less water?

This year I planted out my Costalutos in late March, and they're roaringly productive. My neighbors are eating almost as many tomatoes as we are. No more flowers, though, for some reason. I planted my cherries late this year, in May (I usually put them in first week in march, with some trepidation), and they are just starting to fruit. I'm skeptical about whether planting out tomatoes in, say, September is of any value.

I find september WAY to late. I plant in mid July and put up some shade cloth or cardboard. some falls is good and sometimes not so good.

I haven't had great luck with fall tomatoes, so I'm not going to bother. This has been an excellent year for spring tomatoes, but they're starting to look tired (and the spider mites are starting to take hold). The rain split a ton of heirlooms, too. The cherries I may hold over, but I'm retiring the big ones when they're done and putting some lettuce or beans in their place this fall.

For good tomatoes in the fall. (Well if you wish to call the crap shoot of a time from when it is sweltering hot, till when the frost hits a fall here.) Is to plant in the time frame of July, till August at the latest. The latter of the two being an early type with 60 or so days to maturity. If planting then it would be advised to go with the largest transplant you can get into the ground. (I use 3 Gal. planter for those.

Also it is advised to have some kind of a way to cover the plant for the first few frosty days. If the fruit has grown to full sized by the time the plant dies then you can wrap the tomatoes in newspaper as I stated before. My Grampa called them winter tomatoes. As were were eating them in the winter as they ripened.

Note I just came in from pulling 4 plants. I took cuttings from one of them. I have them in a shaded spot in moist potting mix. By the time they start to get slightly root bound it will be time to put them in the ground. The cuttings saved are early producers so I have a chance of getting some off of them before the freezes kill them off for the winter. If not then I will have a green tomato fry.

As to the cherry tomatoes. I keep mine in the ground as they seem to set fruit even when the others have shut down to point. Husky Cherry Red has done great for such a compact plant. Sweet 100 is starting to set fruit like crazy as well.

So far from the small area that I have to grow in I have harvested more then me, my wife, my dad, and step mom, and everyone I have been giving tomatoes to can eat. I have been harvested over 300 large toms, and I am getting a gallon container full a day easy. Most times it is overflowing.

I am attaching a pic of my Yellow Pear cherry tomato plant. I will keep it alive as it is still setting fruit. If it still looks healthy as the heat sets in I will keep it alive. Any that start to look bad I take cuttings from to make new plants.

Thanks to all of you for your input! I have a shady side of the house where i can place the cuttings and let them develop. I talked to a gentleman at Redentas gardens shop that recommended putting them the ground around mid July. I think i will go with that plan throw down some mulch and cross my fingers!

Thanks again,

Kyle

Last year I tried to cut them back and keep them through the summer. It was a failure. I promised myself that I would not succumb to that this year and invest the time and water better. To keep me to it, I tossed some zinnia seeds into the pots. to "save" the zinnias I'll have to cut down the tomato plants in a couple of weeks. .... guess I could transplant the baby zinnias....but at least now this is the plan. Wishing you better luck than I had
BTW I love Sun Gold! First year with them and they are wonderful little gems. I also tried Sir Speedy this year and have really enjoyed them as well. First plant to produce and they are still making great small but flavorful fruits about the size of a small roma. c