While the impact of the snow and ice that hit the UK over the past week or two may be uppermost in many gardeners' minds, it is last year's flooding that is likely to have a long-term impact on growing habits in 2013 for those hit by an unexpected deluge. The current thaw will only exacerbate the problem of standing water and waterlogged ground. This email from Verity Wilson sums up the problem:

Our allotments in west Oxford have flooded badly (3ft or more of water) in the recent weather conditions. When the water eventually drains away, what can we expect to find and how should we cope with silt, water-logged compost bins and the like? As we are in a flood-prone area, what is your advice for the long term for such watery plots?

There is lots of advice on how to clear up in the immediate aftermath of a flood, but what about six months down the line, when the soil's still soggy, plants are dead and the ground's contaminated?

Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

There's some basic advice from the BBC Gardening Guides site and in this leaflet (opens as a PDF) from Gardening Which? and the Environment Agency, but I'd love to hear how you're tackling your allotment or garden in the wake of flooding. For instance, Allotment holders in Warwick are seeking a rent reduction to allow for their ruined plots. Many allotment sites seem to flood regularly - or have begun to flood when nearby buildings, fences or hedges have been removed.

Are raised beds the answer? Which plants, shrubs and trees have survived best after days or weeks with their feet in water? And what do you do with a silted-up compost heap, shed or pond? Add a comment below or tweet @guardiangardens with your experiences and tips.