You might try mixing in coarse sand. This will promote drainage and carry away

excess water. To make this more effective, you may have to grade the land to
encourage this drainage and provide a place for the runoff.

Sherwin D.

Ook wrote:

I live in Oregon, and this time of year we seldom get more then 3 or 4 days
at a time without rain (if that much). As a result my backyard is quite wet
(mud), and the soil can't be easily worked with. Is there any way to
actually work with the soil to get cold weather crops planted? I'm tempted
to just dig a very shallow trench, plant my seeds, and cover it with mulch
or something that doesn't turn to mud when it rains. Any ideas?