[SuziQ]

Hello - in the summer i removed a load of membrane, weeds, and moor grass from a large area at the end of the front garden, dug it over and fenced it. I had tried to grow veg in pots but we have a free range sheep problem, not to mention the slugs, and ended up with a crop of 15 potatoes, and half a pea. Only the nastersian really prospered. So this is my attempt at a proper harvest.
The ground is neglected, waterlogged and heavily clay-like. I've dug in an inadequate amount of horse manure and a few bags of sand...

Any advice on what to grow in the wettest area of England, which is hardly tropical, and which an amateur can deal with, very much welcomed!

Thanks, Suzi

[solway cropper]

West Cumbria is pretty wet and I manage to grow everything I want up here. I also have quite a heavy soil but the trick is to get as much muck into it as possible and try to improve the drainage so that crops are not actually standing in water.

How about growing things in containers? Last summer I had well over 100 assorted tubs with a wide variety of crops from beans to turnips. Unless you are very high up I'd say there was very little you can't grow.

[BabbyAnn]

Waterlogging may be due to a hard pan just under the top soil or the front garden may slope down creating a pond effect.  You could try creating raised beds to increase height and drainage, and then you can concentrate on the actual beds and dig in lots more well rotted manure or compost and sharp sand to break up the heavy clay soil.  As the footpaths are likely to keep on getting waterlogged, consider putting down something like paving or stone chippings to walk on.

I noticed you mentioned moor grass - sounds like the soil pH may be on the acidic side (I'm just guessing - images of moorland and peaty bogs spring to mind) so may be worth getting a pH soil test kit to check (they are not that expensive).  Adding manure only makes the soil more acidic and most crops prefer a neutral to slightly above pH - pH can make some soil nutrients unavailable to some crops hence does play a significant role in gardening.  In which case, you may need to add some horticultural lime.

As for which crops to grow, I imagine brassicas (cabbage, caulis, turnips, swede, radish) should be fine, maybe carrots (not in a manured bed), peas, broad beans, onions, garlic etc so long as you get the waterlogging problem sorted.  Hope that helps 

[solway cropper]

If the soil is acidic brassicas will struggle. They prefer an alkaline soil so you'd need to add lime. As BabbyAnn says, might be a good idea to get a soil test kit and check the conditions before deciding what to grow.

All my carrots and parsnips are grown in containers as that's the only way I can control the growing medium and get un-forked roots!