Donn's advice is excellent - utilizing french drains is the accepted and most practical method of addressing drainage issues and the filter fabric or sock is essential to prevent sediment infiltration and clogging of the pipe. But while french drains are relatively easy to implement, understanding the drainage issue and its cause/source in the first place is critical and I'd encourage you to consult with a professional to determine the best placement for these drain systems and to ensure that the runoff is handled appropriately and efficiently. Often the improper placement of drains and catch basins will complicate the problem rather than solve it and can create problems for neighboring properties, which is to be avoided and may be illegal in many municipalities. A very expensive problem to correct if mishandled initially.

I had the EXACT SAME PROBLEM and solved it. It's called anearobic... or something like that. It's very bad smelling, like sewer. Yep, know it all too well. Here's what I did and now the smell is GONE! I'm not sure exactly which of my remedies worked because I did them all around the same time. Oh, I should tell you first what DID NOT work. Amending the soil made it WORSE. Adding lime and peat made it WORSE. I dug 8 hole, about 18 inches deep and threw in a bunch of rocks I bought in bags at Walmart. Then I added 1 bag of playsand (about a dollar or so at Walmart). Then I capped them off with their old soil 'hat'. Then I sprinkled another few bags of the playsand all over the yard, especially in the wet, mushy, smelly areas. Then I threw some Perfect Seed grass seed (also at WalMart) on top and my yard quit stinking. So... in effect, I made some french drains, removed some of the clay soil and replaced it with sand and then top treated the whole thing with sand. The grass took off and now I can be in my yard without any problem. Do a search on the forums for this anaerobic soil condition (some kind of bacteria build-up I think) and you will probably recognize your situation right away. And the posts may have better solutions than mine for you to try. Best of luck! Sheryl

Hi Y'all, Clay, hmmm, imagine finding clay in Edmond, Oklahoma. I thought ALL the clay in Oklahoma was here at my house. :) It seems like you face dual issues: soil improvement and drainage, although they are related. DRAINAGE: Do you know how quickly that stagnant clay does or does not drain? Does it hold water for days? Weeks? Does it EVER dry out completely? And how far down is the sopping wet soil? If it is just a few inches down, say 4" or 6", I don't think I'd try raising veggies there without a raised bed. On the other hand, if it is 18" or 24" down, you can probably amend the upper layers of clay enough to raise veggies without building a raised bed. And, no, excavating the clay and dumping good topsoil into the "hole" left behind isn't really a great ideal. When you do that, you are essentially raising a garden in a non-draining "container" full of soil, 'cause that clay is going to hold the water and keep your topsoil wet for a long, long time. It is better to keep the clay you have and amend it. Clay is very fertile and rich in minerals. It makes great soil once amended. And earthworms love it once it has organic material in it for them to munch on. SOIL IMPROVEMENT: If you buy a load of topsoil, be careful. A lot of people sell junk clay and junk sand that aren't good for anything and call them "top soil". I wouldn't buy "topsoil" from anyone who couldn't tell me approximately how much of it was sand, clay, silt, organic material, etc. I have bought a 50/50 mix of native soil/compost (but down in Texas and not here in Oklahoma) and it was incredibly good veggie growing soil. You will have to add lots of organic material the first year: peat moss, compost, manure, finely shredded bark, etc. After that, though, you can maintain the bed by what I call "lasagna mulching"...just add whatever you think the bed needs each year to the top of the bed, cover with something like hay, straw or shredded bark mulch that won't wash away, and let the worms do their thing. Some people add sand to clay, and it is a matter of hot debate on the Soil Forum as to whether or not it is a good idea. I did add some sand to improve drainage, but I wouldn't have added a little sand had I not added a LOT of organic material. RAISED BEDS: I prefer them, especially for tomato plants. However, if you add 6 or 8" of organic material to the area where your mom wants to have her herbs and veggies, you will find that all the material HAS raised the level of the soil above the existing grade and you've basically created a raised bed, although I guess it is really just a mounded bed. And there is nothing wrong with that. BTW, I prefer the "lasagna garden" method for building raised beds too. I wish Pat Lanza had written her 2 books a couple of decades ago before I spent all those years double-digging and amending soil at my previous home. Finally, if all your mom wants is a small number of tomato and pepper plants, there is always the option of raising them in large containers, and putting clay-loving herbs in the ground. Dawn

It’s been 7 days since we’ve watered last and there’s still 8 inches of standing water measuring. ==>>> why are you watering.. if there is water in there.... it seems you are more fixated on your watering schedule.. rather than water when the tree needs it ... do not amend the soil ... ever ... i would get some mulch on the bare dry soil ... mostly because i suspect.. you look at it.. and think the soil is too dry and it makes you want to water ...... except you know its flooded down below ... so dont look at it.. lol .. and no landscape fabric ... read the link regarding clay soil.. and watering ... ken https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub