I'm not exactly the right person to answer your question considering we never have winter here but to answer your question, you can make any plant pest free if you just maintain a steady regimen of applying insecticides. A carbaryl based insecticide will do but there are other more 'natural' pesticide choices if you'd rather want to go 'organic'.

tropical

Please, has anyone here or does anyone know of someone that has ever grown a gardenia indoors all winter without spidermites? Is it possible?
Depending on this answer will determine if it is a good idea for me to put them in the same room as my other plants.
Thanks alot........So far I am begining to feel no one has. Am I wrong?

Yes, you are dead wrong. There are a ton of them. I grow them indoors all year around. I only apply insecticide within the first month when I purchase them. After that, for years, they NEVER ever get any mite. I keep them indoors. In the summer, if I leave them on the porch, sometimes, mites and other insects attack. But a simple application of leaf-spray always solve the problem. Of course you need to know where to spray down-under and near new tips. Please refer to my post "The first Gardenia of 2008". Thanks.

So glad to here this........What type of insecticide do you use? It must work well. Thanks alot for the encouragement!!!

Mike, I use my organic, home-made insectide in autumn, to start with..Then, every 2=3 wks, respray.
Results, no mites, or any other pests.
Gardenias are a tad difficult in winter, 'keeping pests away, prevent of lead drop' but nowhere near as hard as raising annuals indoors.
Humidity and air circulation are very important. Keeping temps on the lower side dissuade mites from attack. Where there's a will, there's a way..Toni

I find keeping mite-free EASY.

I wait until my gardenias are dry. This is a precaution so that if some water leaks into the pot, the plant is going to be fine.

I wrap the soil surface with a Wal-Mart bag. I open the shower and run the water pretty hot but tolerable to my hands. I shower the back and front of all branches of each pot with hot water. The gardenia branches are very soft and beautiful in shower.

This way I dont even need any pesticide. I dont need any leaf shine either. The plants look great.

Snasxs..does anyone use leaf shine these days? lol
It's still sold, but stores don't order many bottles. Most sit a long time.

Your way of keeping mites away also works. Showering perks up plants, especially in winter.
One problem with showering is, when someone has, let's say, 100 plants, it'd be a job and a half carrying each plant to the shower/sink.
I choose certain plants, known to attract mites, then shower. Gardenia, citrus, hibiscus, azalea, etc.
I think you have a good number, do you shower all or select a few families? Toni

Toni,

If I remember, I shower all of them but probably only once or twice a month.

Here the advantage of peat-moss is great. I can hold the pot sideways 90 degree. The potting mix will not collapse onto the covering plastic bag. I find it a good exercise.

If you have a hose with a shower head, you do not need to move the pots. Get it Toni? Lol.

For my experience, hot water is better. But if you have no hot-water outlet to your house, cold water will do.

P.S. I have never ever seen a "leaf shine" before. It is a mysterious legend for me. Do they really exist? Attach a picture Toni. Lol.

Yes, there are commercial leaf shines. When I was a florist I used it daily both on cut foliages and potted plants. I've never used it at home.

I live in East Tennessee and have a gardenia that is indoors for the winter. It has been doing well until recently when I realized it has spider mites.

A friend suggested that the best solution is to buy "spider mite destroyers" which apparently are other mites that prey on the spider mites.

Has anyone done this before with a gardenia? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I tried that..
It didn't work, plus I wasted over 300 dollars on beneficial insects last winter with still mites by the end of that winter...:-(. I couldn't wait for that spring to come!!
This year I am having better sucess with "Toni's recipe" for spray and it is alot cheaper. In fact, the foliage on my plants never loooked so good!
I have finally accepted the this fact.......I don't know about anyone else, but as for me, I will NEVER, NEVER be able to COMPLETELY get rid of them, or any other insect, but I can certainly keep the population down, or keep them from blooming to mass desruction of my trees by at least spraying every other week. And I mean be CONSISTANT with this regimen.lol
Foget just once after a couple of weeks, and they will be back by the millions.. So far so good for me this winter.
I figure, for the ones that don't get hit with the toxic spray I make for them on my plants, you know the ones hiding on the window sill, in floor crevices, on the curtains, in your closet,and on the ceiling and walls and so on, they will eventually get hit when they decide to leaves their hiding places and have a feast on my trees after their friends have already been obliverated!!
So don't waste your money unless you are treating your outdoor plants. Take care:-)

Last autumn, because I was in a hurry hauling plants inside since the rain was continuous, the last plants brought in weren't sprayed. Three of those last plants were Gardenias.
To top that off, our humidifer, a newly purchased model, 'it can be sent back to whichever country it came from,' (NOT USA) isn't putting enough water in the air.

Readying for Christmas, baking, shopping, etc, 'Gardenias are set in front of a window behind other plants,' I overlooked what was obviously insects. First a few leaves browned..Nothing major, but enough to warn. Foliage felt sticky.
First thing I did was remove the Gardenias and place in the tub, (inspected for webbs) sprayed water over all three, about 5 mins. I then sprinkled dish soap over evenly, no 2-4 drops, thank you. Each leaf, stem and branch were then rubbed/kneeded. No webbs. Last, they got a final rinse.
I came downstairs, made a batch of insecticide and sprayed away.
Beacause Gardenias are notorius insect magnets, they got a daily spraying with insecticide..last week, 3 times.
So far, this week, nary a bug..hopefully..They're going to be inspected again Sunday/tomorrow. Taken out of window, showered, and respayed once again.

So Mike, if gardenias aren't getting appropriate air and humidity, you can bet they'll be attacked.
BTW, because I was busy, I stopped daily misting to boot..Not good..worse, because the house was/is dry.
One day, when funds are stable, I'm going to look for a console humidifer..The type that takes large filters and holds two, five-gallon containers of water.

BTW, neighboring plants, which happen to be Hibicus and Citrus, were also checked, nothing, no insects..Toni

Toni,
Don't foget to spray your walls, rugs,closets, floor crevices, air and your cloths and hair while your at it !!!Lololol.
Do you know that one greenhouse actually makes us wear a complete sterilzed body armor or clothes so we won't track in mites on their clean plants by hopping off of us onto theirs..Not kidding. They are everywhere they say, not on just our plants.They are all over the house and not just on the plants we treat!!:-(
Think I will spray my whole house nad no one will want to step in with the smell of garlic all over the place!.....lol!!!
Toni, please, check out the citrus site and see my pictures I posted on that forum. At your urging, I finally learned how to do so and I really want you to see some ok.
Look how nice the leaves look thanks to your awsome insect natural spray!! So shiny and bug free! I love you for this..HUGS!!
Toni, they have all kinds of humidifiers at Walvgreens from Christmass on sale now, pick up a couple..I just did the other day..:-)
Hope your plants do ok...Spraying these insects is a constant effort isn't it? But it is only for 4 months right! Lol
Good to see you again, please keep in touch ok. I would love an e-mail from you sometime.... Would love to send you some pictures!!Take care ok.
Mike

Don't forget -- cooler temperatures slow them down and ventilation from a circulating fan makes their lives a bit harder as well.

Do you mean that a circulating fan such as a ceiling fan can be unuseful to their overall health or slow them down. Because I keep one going 24 hours a day at medium speed for about 3 winters now in my plant room. It is the only moving air in there. keep the humid air from getting stagnet. There is a constant breeze making the leaves slighty move and I alwasy thought this was good for them all.
Is this fresh air? Or are we talking about opening windows in the middle of winter? If I did that, all my humidity I work so hard for to keep in that room would rush out the windows, then you are talking about having a cold room, with extra dry heat to keep it warm and no humidity. Also a cold draft on all my plant close to the windows.
Thanks

I keep a fan blowing near (not on) my plants and try to keep the temp in the room between 55 and 70. I also give them periodic shower baths. I also have humidifiers going, especially when the outside temp is below freezing. Our house is naturally drafty. It is rather a struggle actually to do everything one is supposed to and one (ahem) doesn't always succeed. Looking back over the thread I see all this has already been mentioned, though.

The gardenia plants we saw in bloom and for sale in May in Italy last spring certainly far outshone the ones I see here. Boo hoo for us, their conditions must be so much more naturally congenial. Plants can stay outside all year, the air is constantly moist and buoyant, and the sun is brighter and milder.

Howdy..Mike, I was sooo busy before Christmas..mostly baking..lol..I still have to make a couple batches of cheese cake cookies and Snowballs for my brothers..I didnt get to see them this year..One brother is a policeman and had to work, the other brother went to his in-laws..
Thank God for online shopping..lol..Most gifts were delivered to the front door..Most, not all.
Add cooking, bathing pets, bird cages, mailing Christmas cards, and working on plants..Even though I kept the puter on, most of the time I was busy doing other things..

I'll check your Citrus thread..can't wait to see your plants..I'm really happy you figured out posting pics..now you haven't any excuses not to show a plant. lolol

Well, if your house smells of garlic, you don't have to worry about vampires, right? lol.
Ever read or see Steven Kings, Salem Lot? Oh sheesh, I type this, and now my little dog is looking out the back door, barking..lol..I'm scared..

Mike, do you use artificial lights? If so, do you use Gro lights or regular fluorescent? Tropicals are in the back room..In the front plant room, one side is succulents, the other side tropicals. I added Gro Light above succulents and one warm, one cool white in back above tropicals..Do you think I should switch? Place Gro Bulbs above tropicals and regular bulbs above Succulents? I don't know anything about rays/spectrums, so I need help figuring this out.

Unless temps are above 50F, I wouldn't open windows..especially since you have tropicals growing in front of glass..
Some tropicals are so sensitive, being outside in 0F temps in 1 minutes time, will cause frostbite..I've seen it...

I'm glad your citrus are bug free. Mike, if the fan is working, continue using it. Especially if the room is warm/hot.
I agree with Mona, cold air shouldn't hit plants directly, that's the reason I use rotating and ceiling fans. Even though there is some contact, it's not a steady aim.
If the room your plants are in has a door, open it a bit each day..not a door leading outside, but to another room.
You wanted to know if your fan helps air circulation. It is if stale air has room to escape. Continuous enclosed areas can cause problems. Rot. Green houses need airing out. That's one reason exhaust fans are used. Terrariums need some type of ventilation. Even the new model seed heating trays are now made with a top that has an adjustment to receive fresh air.
Episcia's need a ton of humidity, it's recommeded they get fresh air..some people use fans, aiming at leaves for a time. That's hard to do when they're in aquariums..lol. I considered purchasing one of those tiny 5.00 fans to set inside the aquarium..lol.

Mike, I'm familiar with Walgreen's humidifers. They do work, but it's like this..After using console humidifers over 20 yrs (for plants) it's like driving a Porche, (not that I've ever even sat in one, lol) then switching to a Gremlin..lol..if you know what a Gremlin is..they're no longer manufactured. I can't think of another car as an example. But there's a difference in humdifers.
When I had a console, humidity was 50-75%...with newer humidifers, humidity is 30-40%..sometimes a tad higher, but there is a difference.

If your plants are thriving and bug-less, continue doing what you've been. Only if your plants start looking 'doomed' should you change.

Mike, did I tell you I planted a 5' citrus rootstock tree in the yard last summer? The only protection is mulch..lots of it. The leaves were healthy green, until 2 days and nights of -0 temps..-35-40 counting windchill, a couple wks back. Leaves froze, but I'm hoping and praying the trunk survived the ice, snow and wind. We'll see come spring. If there was a nearby outlet, I'd add Christmas lights on the soil, but the nearest outlet is 15' away..
Darn, my dog is still barking..lol..

Tomorrow/today, plants need watering..300+ plants need a drink..lol..It's going to be one busy day..lol..Toni

Toni,

How in the world do you water 300 plants all at the same time!!!???? How?....Don't they dry out at different intervals and on different days? You must be constantly looking to see what pots have dried out and which ones not. And how the heck do you lug all those to the shower and to the great outdoors??? Did you ever post any pictures of our plants? I would love to see them. I would love too!
Especially if there is some in smaller pots than the larger ones!lol
By the way.......Did your dog ever stop barking that night? Are you alright?
I never saw that movie. Now you have givin me a reason to relax one night and watch one..:-)
Toni, it seems like everything I am doing is ok. Maybe the overhead fan is ok because my room never gets cold. You know what? Starloc is right! I think I might of answered my own question on my I am loosing leaves on my "Lemon Meyer". I remember now the room getting colder for a few days at night than it normally did. I normally keep the temps at night in there around 65. But a few nights it got down to about 58 and I still kept all the lights on. So who knows. maybe the soil got to cold to keep up with the grow lights!
Yes, all those citrus are mine. The one you questioned at the top of all the others, my "navel orange", yes that one is in full flower because I kept that in full floor to ceiling windows all winter. It loves sun..lol
Speaking of growlights, I do't even know what I am using. All I know is that I got them at a plant supply company called "Worms Way" here in Mass and paid 300 for one and 199 for another. I just asked what was best for me, and they directed me to what my plants needs were. They are the best things I could of done for my plants. They like them..lol. I know one uses a ballast and sodium bulb which puts out 600 watts of light. The other looks like a 2 feet wide by 3 feet long 4 bulb flourescent one that gives 450 watts of light. My room gets so bright, that I could do yard work at night in my back yard from the light in that room they are in which at least 500 feet away, on the top floor of my home. I could tan under those babies!! Lol

I hear you about the humidfier. It is like traveling from first class to coach on a plane. I hated the first time I flew coach..lol
Guess I will keep doing what I am doing since you think my plants look ok.
You know what? I can't wait till the sun starts getting stronger and it finally causes the 30 or so little buds on my gardenia to finally reach maturity, the ones that have starting growing since 2 months ago!!
Rememebr the ones I got by mail order last month I told you about? They were both so yellow. Well they are coming back nice and green already. I will post before and after pictures on these denias, of the change in them just within the first month growing in my house. They are starting to look real nice! Thanks for your advice.
Take care for now, and stop watching those scarey movies. You are starting to scare me.......lolol

Monarda,
Thanks for your suggestions on air and care of my denias. I hope your stay healthy till spring and maybe by April, we can all throw pictures of our babies on one post. Sounds like a plan?

Take care and stay warm. Keep those denias happy! I wonder how mersipoo's is doing after she took all the lights off of hers? Hum......

Mike