Maybe replace that Halogen with a CFL. THey can be put within an inch of the plant as they give off almost no heat unlike a Halogen. Removing the heat mat is a good idea as habjolokia said. Also, I dont know what kind of fertilizer you are referring to but if it is liquid, and you are dumping a straight 1/4 shot glass with watering, you may be way over fertilizing. The liquid I use is a 9-3-6 and it is supposed to be cut at the rate of 1 tsp per gallon of water. If yours is a similar ratio, you are probably way overdoing it. Just read the directions and follow them. You may also want to consider a fert with a bit different ratio. Yours is pretty low on the Nitrogen side and high on the Potassium side. That would be a fertilizer maybe better suited to a mature plant that is ready to or already putting out blooms and fruit. But my first guess is that the lighting is your major problem. Bruce

I think -- I'm no expert on this -- the leaves, flowers, and fruit are falling off right where they would naturally do so, certainly it's not something obviously wrong, like halfway down the stem. Mainly I fertilized them with tomato fertilizer, which is usually low in nitrogen for just that...hey, I have beans growing near them, could this be putting too much nitrogen in the soil? There's a gap of two or three feet between the patch of peppers and the thin row of snow peas and pole beans growing up the back fence. Newt: OK, if I can figure out where to get epsom salts, I'll add a little in case that'll help. The temps have not been falling much below seventy, so that's not an issue. I have seen places claiming peppers cross-pollinate, which seems logical, but I've also seen ones saying they self-pollinate, and thus don't need help. I take it this is false. Will simply tapping the flowers help, the way it does tomatoes? The ground around the peppers has not really gotten dry, which is why I was slow to water them. I am under the impression that it should start feeling dry when you stick your finger in it, or else you'll over-water. Was I mistaken?

I agree. I had one plant that has a tall stem and had several huge leaves on it. About three weeks ago, many of them yellowed and died and fell off. I wasn't worried since it was just the lower leaves and I figured it was pretty much normal. I have several other plants but they are bushier and dont have the long single stem. I dont recall a problem with them losing lower leaves at all. My guess it is more normal than a lack of nutrients but regardless, I wouldn't worry too much and controlled nutrients are a good thing anyway.

Is this just a few fruit or many? If many then it is often a sign of plant stress (usually water related) and it is dropping the fruit to try to survive - some call it fruit abortion although that is usually associated with small immature fruit. But number of fruit on the cluster doesn't usually play a role. The availability of moisture and the ability of the roots to support the plant with fruit does play a role. If it is just a few - one here and there - then there can be many causes ranging from wind to pests to fruit injury. Do you actually see them fall or just find them on the ground later? A further consideration is that some hybrids have been bred for "quick-release" for picking purposes so variety may play a role (but not in this case). Dave