Early garden clean up

I have an idea that I want to run by you all. I have some issues with fungal infections and botrytis in my shady, and poorly draining clay soil gardens. I would like to run my garden as organically as possible so I usually let all my perennials stand for the winter and clean it all up in the spring but often by then the weeds are already poking thru too. I am thinking about cleaning some of my garden beds at the next thaw and putting down composted mulch around the crowns I can see. I suspect this might delay soil warming in the spring by a little bit, but it sure would help me get thru my large gardens over time instead of all at once. I wonder if anyone has tried this, or even if you cleaned a garden and put down mulch in the fall instead of letting Mother Nature insulate with dead plant debris and leaves?

Thanks!!

Have not done it but see no reason not to. Organic matter can be added to the soil anytime. I would only wait for the soil to be relatively dry. No need to cover the wetness and make matters worse! Good luck.

I've done it and enjoy getting some garden chores done early. I haven't done heavy mulching midwinter but have done some composting amendments and pruning. Helps to reduce doing all the spring chores at once.