[alwayshopeful]

Help, my peppers and chillies seem to have developed some sort of a problem, and I can't find anything about it!   The growing tips are turning black and the leaves directly below the tips look like they have been munched on (no actual holes just transparent spots).  Will this affect how they grow?  Am using commercial pest and disease spray to no effect.  Also my pepper plant that actually is flowering and showing no signs of the aforementioned problems - all the flowers are falling off and not fruiting    Please help!!

[mobilekat]

Have you got any photos?

Sounds possibly like over watering and rotting, or caused by scorching. (well the spots)

Are they indoors or outdoors, or windowsill?
As flowers dropping without fruit forming is normally lack of pollination.

[alwayshopeful]

Have taken photos but they did not come out clearly enough to be able to see the problem!  They are being grown in a large plastic greenhouse.  It's not lack of pollination as the flowers are still tight buds when they are dropping, it is the flower head and the stalk that are breaking off at the slightest touch.

[Lardman]

Am using commercial pest and disease spray to no effect.

This could well be your problem - large amounts could well have collected in the areas and damaged the plant. Were you spraying to get rid of a pest problem ?

Difficult to say what harm has been done without a picture but leave the plant alone of a few days in the light but out of direct sunlight see if it picks up.

Some flower drop is normal - especially at the start of the season. Id guess though its too hot in your greenhouse and the pollen is drying out.

[zazen999]

Why are you using commercial pest and disease spray if you don't know what the actual problem is?

[Yorkie]

When you refer to commercial sprays, do you mean for the amateur market?  If not, are you sure that you are using it correctly?

Also, have you checked the maximum number of times it can be used in a season on a crop?

Just a little concerned about the eventual safety of the crop from the very limited information you've given (I have nothing against pesticides in principle but they do need to be used carefully).

[Lardman]

When you refer to commercial sprays, do you mean for the amateur market?

I took it to mean a bought product rather than washing up liquid or rhubarb tea.

I saw a similar effect earlier on in the year when I sprayed an lemon drop that was covered greenfly with "Bug Clear" rather heavy handedly. 

[alwayshopeful]

It is an organic bug and disease spray brought from the garden centre, and I didn't start spraying until the problem occurred.  It says it can be sprayed whenever necessary however am keeping a close eye on it and it does not seem to be getting any worse, so fingers crossed xx  On the plus side, picked my first cucumber of the season and it was delicious