gardenbetty.com
For successful solarization, the soil should be smooth and flat to allow the plastic to lay snug against it. Till or turn over the soil and remove or break up any clods, rocks, sticks, and hard roots.
Once your soil is smoothed over, set your garden hose or irrigation system over the bed and water deeply. You want the top 12 inches of soil to be moist.
Surprisingly, clear plastic is actually more effective than black plastic at heating up soil. The sun’s rays easily pass through clear plastic, only to be trapped inside to heat the soil.
Cut the plastic to fit, leaving at least 8 inches of overhang on all sides.
You can hold the plastic down with heavy objects (like 2x4s, pipes, bricks, cinder blocks, or whatever you have around the house) placed around the perimeter of the bed, making sure they’re tucked tightly against the inside walls if you’re covering a raised bed.
gardenbetty.com