I have two methods, the expensive method, repot in fresh potting soil or I bring them into a screened porch about two weeks before bringing in and spray the foliage good with an all natural insecticide. Then I scratch in a systemic insecticide into the soil. I repeat the following week. Keep on the porch for a week then bring in. Yes...there are some knats, ants, spiders, rolly pollys, but not an awful infestation. I also throw a Terro disk for ants on top the soil. They eat and share with the other ants and pretty much kills em dead. I put my containers in the (unfinished) basement where there are no pets. If I still see bugs I add more systemic and water it in after the first two weeks of being in the house. By spring the systemic is worn off and won't affect the beneficials when I put the containers back outside. Most of the tropicals just go dormant anyway and need little care or water in winter. Plants such as dragon wing red begonia and euphorbia diamond frost will bloom all winter long if treated as a house plant.
