Gardening help: what do I do with dead annuals?

Annuals can be cut down and composted. You don’t need to dig them up unless disease was a concern.

What @Adirondackwannabe said, plus the roots will enrich your soil for next year.

@Supacase Faye had a really good point. Organic matter in the soil is one of the best things you can do to improve the soil for future growing seasons.

When I first read this, I thought it said dead animals.

I agree, just cut them. I really can’t think of anything I dig up, unless I intend to overwinter something.

The Indians used to bury fish with their plants for the nitrogen, so bury the dead animals.

It’s really too bad that you let the frost get them. You could have dug them earlier on and potted them and taken them indoors. They are an annual north but in warm clients they are not. But since they have croaked you just pull them out by the stalk so the root ball comes out too and then throw the whole shebang into your compost heap.

Thanks everyone.