Someone wrote:

My soil is really dense, very rich, and right now super soggy. tried a
google search and did not get too far. please help.

I use fallen leaves to mulch my beds. I use them without chopping,
shredding, or composting. (But I also compost leaves.) The leaves
provide a cushion when it rains, keeping the soil from compacting.
In the summer, they keep the soil cool and moist. Evetually, they
form a compost (actually leafmold, which I think is better).

If your soil is really soggy, it might be clay. My soil is mostly
adobe clay, really heavy and sticky when wet. I broadcast a lot of
gypsum on the soil just before the rainy season (the "not so dry"
season here in southern California). It reacts with the clay to
make it somewhat porous, helping excess moisture to drain deeper.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/