you can do anything from spreading a layer of compost/manure over the beds (called 'top dressing') to lifting your perennials, and rototilling (or forking, if you're in to the old-school, back-breaking ways) the same 'organic matter' into the bed, then resetting the plants, watering, and mulching the whole shebang.

in most cases, it depends on the quality of the soil you started with, and whether the perennials you have are brats (things like roses and other heavy feeders) or not.

But, I wouldn't necessarily add fertilizer. Manure and other organic amendments and dressings are wonderful.

And I sure wouldn't lift my perennials after they had been "put to bed"....that is cut down after frost.
After frost.....cut all down that needs to be cut back....pull out the annuals, plant your spring bulbs.....and then dop dress with some compost or well rotted manure.....and for the bulbs, add a bit of bone meal.
Linda C

Thank you for your responses. I guess by fertilizer I really meant manure. I was kind of hoping I could just put a bunch of manure down and it would sink deep over the winter so I didn't have to lift everything out and "do it right"...like I should have the FIRST TIME!!!

You will still get plenty of benefits from the addition of manure (well composted) to your planting beds. The soil does not obtain the full benefit of the coarse organic material and the aeration of mechanical mixing, obviously.

But what you propose is still 'a good thing'!

Just something to add...that wasn't a dumb question at all.
There aren't any dumb questions because that's how we all learn. That was a good question.

Really, Clemmybug?

Why is there an "s" in the word "lisp".

How much can I get away with and still go to heaven?

How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?

If our knees were on the backs of our legs, what would chairs look like?

If somebody misspelled word in the dictionary, how would we know?

Since God can do anything - can he make a rock so big even he can't lift it?

I'll watch for your retraction. ;o)

Al