Whitefly Prevention in the Vegetable Garden: Early Soap Sprays Win

A gardener asked about pre-plant soil treatments for whiteflies. The expert said: nothing effective in soil now. The winning strategy is early detection and weekly insecticidal soap sprays once plants are up.

Check leaf undersides for tiny white insects and sticky honeydew. Spray soap (see guide) weekly at first sign. Soap is cheap, safe, and effective—but only if started before populations explode. The biggest mistake is waiting too long.