Depends if you normally get a warm period after the frosty days. We always get a few cold days at beginning of october or sooner, sometimes they will lead to frost. And then, always, without fail, at least 2 weeks of really nice weather to make you feel sorry.

If no good weather is expected, there's no point in not picking, when it's so cold, all you get is increased cracking, and no otherwise progression.

Tomato fruit can handle some actual ice forming on them (I have seen it happen in my garden), and the warmer the days are the better they recover. Also survival depends on how much sugar they have accumulated (in leaves and fruit).

That's correct. It's the sugar content of the tomatoes that prevents damage at temperatures that would damage foliage. Probably buys you a degree or two.

One of the most commonly asked questions on this forum but if one were to sift through the hundreds of discussions you'd find there is no flat answer to the question. Far too many variables involved. Like all of us, when in doubt and if you want to buy more time, then cover the plants. Otherwise just let nature take its course and call the season over.

Dave

Of course, if the foiiage is dead but the fruit is still happy, what's the purpose of not picking the fruit? What happens to the fruit off the plant is not going to be a lot different than what happens to it on a dead plant.