Any plant beds that aren’t cover cropped over the winter should be deep mulched to keep the soil warm so the microbes and insects will stay active. If I have to dig in the bed to harvest (i.e. potatoes) then I peel back the mulch and plants, add some compost, and then replace the mulch and plant matter.
If I don’t need to dig I either leave the plants exactly as they are and add more mulch or cut the plants off at the base of the stem and lay them on top of the bed. The only instance when I would remove the plants is if they were infected with a disease or very destructive pest.
Adding a layer of tree leaves on top will help the plant stems and leaves break down. I water with some compost tea and ferments like Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO) to feed the soil and help the plant matter break down faster.
Deep mulch is by far the lowest maintenance way to garden on a small scale, and the most natural. A healthy ecosystem produces healthy plants and healthy food!
Links to More Information
Understanding Mulch – Magic in the Garden https://youtu.be/exL1Tt2T1PM
Deep Mulch Gardening https://grocycle.com/deep-mulch-gardening/
