what to do with very wet ground?

[spennysaint]

HI

I aquired my allotment at the weekend,at the moment it is just alot of brambles I cleared a small area of brambles on sat/sun/mon .(not got as far as the roots yet!!)and found that under the brambles the soil is very wet, there are areas that are ok and areas that have water sat on the top. The plot is on a slop with a small stream at the bottom which i'm told dries up in the summer. So my questions are
1) is this normal for this time of year - the neighbouring plots are at the top of the slope and flat but don't seem as wet, not sure if it is because these sites are cultivated or just in a better location
1) can i plant anything in the wet areas?
2) Can i do anything to improve the wet soil?

thanks

Claire

[Hilary B]

It really depends on soil type. I guess where you are it is rather clayish? If there is any slope to your bit, a ditch at the HIGH end, to catch any water draining down from higher plots, and directing the water away, eventually to the stream, will help a lot. If water running off other plots cannot get to yours, it will be less wet! Digging a drainage ditch is hard work, unless you can use a machine, but on London Clay, it is likely to be the most effective first stage!
I'll let the 'growing experts' take it from there, clay is always hard work, but you can add compost, sand etc to make it a BIT better!

[NOG]

If it covered with brables then it will not have been cultivated for sometime.

Once you dig it over and add some compost it will improve the drainage.

[Pumpkin Becki]

Of course you could opt for raised beds in the wettest areas. Root crops should like the softer soil in the top while they get going and then appreciate the moister conditions lower down as the summer progresses.