Yes, as you suggest, you can simply spread the aged-compost across the surface of the garden around overwintering plant just like a mulch. Spread compost 1 to 2 inches deep twice a year -- spring and fall -- and it will work itself into the garden in due course. Aged manure can be added to empty sections of the garden -- usually in autumn and it too will work its way into the soil. But if you add aged manure just before planting, do so a 3 or 4 of weeks in advance of planting.

Here is a link that might be useful: HarvestToTable.com

I add chicken poop on top of my kitchen garden every fall - everything in the coop, so half-fresh, I guess. I do this when there are things like frost hardy flowers and cole crops still going strong. I just spread it around them - real close. Winter does it's work and spreads it farther and brings good stuff down into the soil. Never had a problem.
Kay.

Just spreading the compost/manure around the plants like mulch is how I do it all the time. It's nice because it really does act like mulch, keeping weeds down and water in. Of course it's not as good at it as straw or something like that, but it's easier than tilling it into the soil.

I'm so glad you asked this question! I put in a few cold frames this year, in my existing raised beds, and I wondered how to amend the soil. My other beds I grew cover crops, spread composted manure, and put down shredded leaf mulch, but I wasn't sure what to do in the beds with the cold frames.

I hesitate to put down manure, even composted, with crops in, especially greens and root crops. Maybe I shouldn't hesitate? I do put crops into beds that have been amended with manure, but usually it has time to sit. Something about planting root crops and greens directly into freshly-spread manure that makes me hestiate. Perhaps next year I'll save my compost for these areas.

Again, thanks for asking this question, especially for those of us who have small gardens and who need to keep the beds in constant production.

:)
Dee