Tomato Question

I have 3 different types of tomatoes growing- 2 plants of each, all outside, im just wondering when are they supposed to start ripening, as there are loads of full size green ones but not one ripe one...and also when do they finish fruiting?  Last year my plants all died before any of the tomatoes went ripe i dont want the same to happen this year, the year before that i had more than enough ripe ones...

sazzy you can leave them on until it gets a bit chilly, before we get a frost remove all the fruits and bring them indoors if you keep them cool but not cold and make sure the fruit don't touch they will gradually ripen over a few weeks and so extend the season a little for you. We do this every year and lay them in fruit boxes with a little crumpled paper.