Question
I've had one for about 6 years (actually 3 stems in one pot), which I put outside in summer (zone 6.) It's been pretty warm so far, but temps may drop into 40's next week, so I need to bring indoor plants in. Last year some of my indoor plants (not the dracaena) got infested with white fly which I didn't notice until they had been inside awhile. I never completely got rid of it and put the surviving plants out for the summer again. Once my tomatoes got going, the whitefly has preferred them and left my indoor plants alone. How can I make sure I do not bring any indoors?

Also, the dracaena marginata has for the first time sprouted  babies, probably because it was in more sun this year than usual. Each stem has one or more. This is fine because it was starting to get too tall anyway and I would like to just lop off each stem close to the new growth. My question is, can this be done now, when I bring it indoors, or should I wait until next spring and do it when I am ready to put it outside again? It will only get indirect light when I bring it in. Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi Sharon, ok, get some horticultural oil at home depot or lowes, Ultra-Fine...Orgnocide, are two brands; spray the Dracaena with it (per instructions) the next day, with a spray nozzle on your hose, wash off the dead insects and residual oil, then bring it in; keep it misted inside to prevent any reinvesting from either white fly or spider mites. Go ahead and cut the taller stems back and repot them if you want new plants! Dracaenas are nice when it comes pruning them back. good luck Nick