Prepping outdoor plants you plan to overwinter indoors?

[neoguy]

Last year I overwintered a marjoram and catnip plant in my seed starting room. No signs of bugs all winter long, everything was fine until late February or early March. Soon after I started the new seedlings the bugs were everywhere, aphids and white flies.

How can I prevent this next year? What do you folks do when bringing your plants in for the winter?

[RinTinTin]

Many pests lay their eggs in the soil. Since your plants are in a suitable environment to survive winter, so are the bugs. A helpful way to reduce them is to carefully remove the top 1/2 inch of soil with a trowel, spoon, or whatever. Replace it with a good potting soil (as a mulch). Keep a close eye on it in late winter, as if one hatches, a million are right behind him. Your "greenhouse" environment is perfect for an early hatch of many more than would have survived over winter outdoors. Most pests have short life cycles, so be certain to iradicate them before they can reach breeding age.

[neoguy]

Thanks for the reply.