I do at least a couple of spaced sprayings of outdoor potted plants before bringing them in for the winter, generally some relatively nontoxic broad-spectrum agent like Neem oil, horticultural soap etc. I tend to avoid keeping plants infested with whiteflies or mealybugs, as populations can explode in favorable indoor conditions on stressed plants.

Slugs can be a problem. Check around the pot drainage holes and remove leaf litter from the pot to eliminate hiding places. I also sprinkle slug pellets on the soil of susceptible plants.

I wouldn't repot plants unless they're in unsuitable poorly-draining soil. They'll be stressed enough making the switch to dimmer, less humid conditions indoors. Also consider making cuttings of large plants like coleus instead of trying to preserve big specimens.

More info should be available on the house plant forum.

I've been bringing in houseplants in waves over the last month, depending on nighttime low temperatures and individual hardiness.

Most of them were out on the deck or porch - those I just carry in as is, unless they're known to have had mealy bugs in the past. If so, I spray them. White fly hasn't been a problem here; but the first year I dunked the pots in a bucket of water outdoors for about an hour to kill any eggs in the soil.

Some of the houseplants were out under a tree and slugs congregate under the pots. Those plants got deslugged and hosed down.

The only insect problem I have right now is a presumed cricket with a very loud chirp. It apparently came in with the plants and is now living somewhere in the house, either in the plants or in the baseboard heater. A couple of times a day it gives out the loud chirp - the first time I thought it was the carbon monoxide detector and panicked (I've had very bad experiences with carbon monoxide detectors). Now I'll just ignore the cricket unless there's some damage..

I have repotted some plants that outgrew their pots. Mostly plants in small pots that dry out quickly and maybe won't get watered enough over the winter. With all the plants crowded together indoors it's easy to miss watering a little one.

It's generally humid here by the shore and I keep the temperatures low inside so the plants aren't too stressed here. Light levels are lower and are the biggest problem. I try to keep house lights on above the plants for the first few days to ease the transition.

Claire

Here's a hint to avoid slugs and other critters from gaining access to your plants through the drainage holes: the next time you pot up a plant, use some copper window screen in the bottom of the pot before you put the potting medium in. ;-)

Neem oil or horticultural oil application can help control eggs and the early stages of scale, whitefly, mealybugs, as well as spider mites and aphids. Horticultural grade diatomaceous earth sprinkled on the top of the medium can be helpful for crawlies, too.