I had a lot of clay at my other farm; I lived across the road from a lake, and also had parts of my property that were very good at ‘holding water’ after a rain.
I gardened in-ground. The best I can suggest is to amend, amend, amend. Peat and Compost will be your best friends. Don’t add sand; that’ll just make cement.
I managed a Garden Center for 10 years before I retired, so I got deals on broken bags of soil amendments, but we also sold them at cost to other customers. I would find a local garden center and ask for discounts on broken bags if they’re willing and you’ll haul them away. I mean, they’re just heading for the landfill, anyway.
Consider looking into ‘Lasagna Gardening,’ too - which greatly speeds up the process if you don’t have a tiller, and straw (clean or used) is also your new best friend!
How to Make a Lasagna Garden:
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-make-a-lasagna-garden-2539877
The book:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/192504.Lasagna_Gardening
I will, thank you! I didn’t realize the extent of your gardening past and present.
Today I’m on the trail of free pallets to cobble a fence around the garden spot I’ve chosen; and to make an open compost pile with.
Stores are more than willing to hand out cardboard boxes.
I have quite a collection and have laid them down with grass clippings, wood chips, and shredded up leaves on top of them.
I’ll toss on some manure once the plants go in.
I found some places with decent soil, too and hauled that over and mixed it in with the rest of the stuff.
I’ve got two compost bins going but they are frozen solid right now. It’ll be spring before they thaw out enough to turn and then I’ll have to be diligent to do it a couple times a day. One is almost ready, the other is in the filling it up stage.
If you like work; or need exercise, you can always try double digging.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_digging