how often do you till your perennial garden?

[siouxi31]

I have some great perennials in my garden and on occassion will amend the soil but I haven't tilled it in 10 years.
Do you often till your garden? If so, how, when, how often do you do it? Do you dig up your perennials and till as the season goes (according to the bloom time of your plants)? Is it even necessary to do this?

 

[Dizzy for Dsny]

I have numerous perennials and never till the areas they are in. I dig them up and divide as necessary or when I see the plant isn't flowering as usual, or if the area its in is crowding them out. I add peat and sometimes garden soil and mulch each year or when necessary.

Hope this helps! Happy Gardening!

 

[DebºoºS]

I don't till just weed divide if needed and mulch. Springtime I try to weed & mulch before it gets the weather gets too hot. I find mulch becomes hard on top so it does need to be broken up or the water doesn't reach the plants properly. If it looks like the soil is depleted I mix in peat & fresh topsoil before the mulch. Gee, should I be tilling?

 

[nocnurse]

I let the earthworms do the tilling. I top dress with compost and refresh the mulch every year. The soil in the beds just gets better and better, thanks to those little worms! I've also read that tilling will actually destoy the soil structure, and I believe it. The soil in my perennial beds is beautiful and crumbly. My veggie garden is much more heavy. I've started mulching in the veggie garden because of this.