"Zootal" wrote in message
...
I live in Lebanon, Oregon, about 30 miles southeast of Salem, Oregon. this
time of year it rains...and rains...and rains...and doesn't usually stop
until May, sometimes June. Does anyone have any pracitcal advice for
gardening in the spring when the soil is wet? Last year all I was able to
do was stick some onion sets in the mud - they did very well, btw, I was
very happy with how that turned out - we had onions all summer long, and
there are still a few sitting in the mud that I missed when cleaning out
the garden in the late fall. Anyhow, I can't till the ground, it's just too
wet. I'm afraid this year will be a repeat - onion sets pushed into the mud



Lots of plants will do OK in wet ground. It's not so much an issue of
compatibility. Rather, it's about whether all the human attention compresses
the wet soil, from walking and kneeling on it. So, go to a home supply store
and buy a piece of 1x10 or 1x12 wood, as long as is appropriate, and a pair
of really good knee pads (because it's no fun to kneel on hard wood). Put
the plank down where you need to work. It'll distribute your weight and the
soil won't become as compressed as if you'd knelt directly on it. You do NOT
have to buy treated wood for this. I have a 20 year old plank that's not
rotted at all. Just brush off the soil and stand it up in the garage to dry.

You should have no trouble growing things like broccoli, lettuce, collards,
lobster, swiss chard, escarole, spinach, and anything else that needs to
grow fast before the hot weather arrives.

Incidentally, wet soil in springtime is the reason why many garden authors
suggest that you do all your prep work in the fall, so the ground's ready to
receive seedlings without any tilling. Yes, the soil will have settled over
the winter, but that's nowhere near as bad as what your feet will do to it.