Steve... I had a similar problem with damp clay soils and cold wet spring weather that changes to baking heat - so I went to raised beds and container cropping... I found non woven growing bags of differing sizes and grow my Egyptian onions, garlic and other kitchen crops in them using potting mix, sand and compost... they are easy to fill, move around and being porous they don't drown my seedlings and not expensive to buy in bulk. I just put in 100 saffron crocus bulbs in a bunch of them and they are taking off just fine.