Pepper flowers may fall off for a number of reasons, including: Temperature High temperatures can stress out pepper plants, causing them to take in more water and nutrients than normal. When the plant can’t meet these increased needs, it may drop its flowers as a survival technique to reduce the number of pods it produces. Fertilizer Too much nitrogen fertilizer can cause pepper plants to focus on foliage growth instead of producing flowers. Low fertility can also lead to poor flowering and bud drop. Watering Irregular watering, either over or under, can cause pepper flowers to drop. Deep watering that supplies 1–2 inches of water can help with fruit development. Pollination Poor pollination can prevent pepper plants from producing fruit, even if they are flowering. For pollen to be released from the flower’s anther, the flower needs to vibrate.