does anyone know why my pepper plants become infested with aphids within a few days of being moved inside for the winter? it's happened several years in a row and i'd like to be more successful next winter. i'd love to grow peppers indoors over the winter but am not interested in using some crazy pesticide. any natural solutions?

Thanks in advance

Because you have separated the plants from the predators that were keeping the aphids down outside.

Mostly people get rid of aphids by physical means, a blast of water spray to knock them off (do this outside obviously), and squashing them with their fingers. There are also "natural" sprays which keep aphids down, based on plant oils such as rapeseed oil and neem oil; again you would need to apply them out of doors, which I have used and find reasonably effective.

Googling "aphid houseplant" will no doubt give you some other ideas. Obviously if you want to eat next year's pepper crop, systemic insecticides are a bad idea.

The above poster has hit the nail on the head. Outside there would have been a natural balance, bugs like ladybirds eat aphids and so keep them off your plants. How about keeping them outside but under a cloche or fleece?