Why pull them? They are from Africa and can take the heat and can set in waves all summer? So what if they are slow---if they are still producing, they're worth having. My Heidis in the first bed are about done, but have produced heavily. My Heidis in the final summer bed (which got a hodge podge of leftover plants that I think mostly are Heidi planted in late April) have only ripened 1 fruit, but there's tons of green ones. They will ripen when they're ready. I guess if whatever bugs are on your plants are something like stink bugs or leaf-footed bugs and are ruining the fruit, that might be a reason to take out the plants. My experience with stink bugs and leaf footed bugs is that once the little brats (I wanted to use other b words, but I restrained myself) are present in large enough numbers, they ruin the fruit and the fruit really are not worth eating once covered with cloudy spot....so if that is what you're seeing, I understand why you'd pull the plants.