Question
QUESTION: hello!

I put many of my plants outside for the summer. I usually buy them and put them outside. They seem very healthy and have been growing fast. All where bought this summer

Im concerned about bringing them in for the winter. I never checked them for soil bugs or plant pests. I dont want them to contaminate my other plants that stayed indoors this summer. I am already battling spider mites. Can you recommend a systemic insecticide? I have a very large Dieffenbachia, 2 Giant Bird of Paradise plants, a Yucca cane, 2 Orange Bird of Paradise, a few gardenias, 24 Travellers Palm seedlings (had aphids this season), large Jade (already had mealybug this season) and a few other tropical plants.

PS: I live in an apartment and dont have access to a place to wash them off really good-other than my shower.

ANSWER: I had a huge Schefflera tree with aphids. It was in a hotel lobby, I sprayed it, and I used BAYER systemic, very strong solution, every time I watered. I also cleaned the leaves as much as I could. But, no results. Then I brought in the "BIG GUNS". I used a product called NEEM. I mixed it in the systemic water, every time I watered. No more aphids. My point with this is, systemics alone will not always do the job. The plant can't always take in enough of the poison to kill the bug on it's stems and leaves.

Yes, if you can put the plants in the shower,  a good cleaning will be helpful. SAFERSOAP spray will not hurt, and is safe to use indoors. A good cleaning with a damp cloth will also help. Don't forget to clean the stems and trunk, not just the leaves. When you bring them in the house, make sure there is good, indirect air circulation. This seems to discourage bugs and diseases. I have fans in my solarium, and my greenhouse. I have a humidifier in my living room for my tropicals. The heat from the furnace dries them out quickly.
You have what is known in the trade as an advanced collection of plants. What this means is, you need to know a little more then a little bit about growing plants to have success with this collection. They all different in their needs. The Dieff. the Yucca, and the Jade are the easiest. They will not need very much water, or attention. Just good light. The Dieff can tolerate low light. The Palms and the Birds, will need to be where they are not crowded, and where they get plenty of light, and humidity. Don't over water any of them, especially in winter. The gardenias, what can I say, even the experts kill them. They are very temperamental. They will be beautiful one day, and the next, for no reason they die.
So, my best advise is, do your homework. Look them up on the WEB, to see how to best care for all them, and try to find good places to keep them. Winter is hard on all plants, but especially indoor plants. It is hard to provide the conditions they need, while providing the conditions we need in our home. They usually like it cooler, with higher humidity, and more light, then we are able to provide in our homes. "House plants" are plants that have learned to put up with those conditions. But the plants you have listed, except for the Dieff, are not considered "house plants". They are just non- hardy plants.

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QUESTION: HI!

Thank you for your answer. I guess im in trouble huh? They looked so lovely in the garden center, i thought they were houseplants. I live in zone 7 so they will all have to come in for the winter.

So I will mix Neem oil with water from now on to create a systemtic pesticide to feed the plants? Will they be ready to come inside pest-free by October?

Answer
I mixed the Neem into the water that also contained a systemic in it. I used the 3 in 1 mix that has fertilizer, insecticide, and fungicide. I was using it on a big tree in a container. It was too powerful for smaller plants. I say this because I recommend using caution when using these products. It is possible to do more harm then good.
But, more important, then the chemicals is to clean the plants either with a damp cloth, or in the shower. This not only gets rid of the insects, but also the dirt that has gotten on the leaves. The other thing to use is the  Safer soap. It will prevent the bugs from getting on the plants, and if you see any then spray right away to eliminate them.
So to answer your question, if you do all of these things, you should be able to prevent any problems by October. Remember to have good air circulation, and don't leave standing water for the bugs. Check the plants often, so you can take care of problems early before they spread.