I pretty much covered this in your other post of the same question. The mixture you are using is far too strong, is being applied far too often, and coating and suffocating the leaves.

You never mention any actual pests in either post, just that you are spraying the plants daily. For what reason please? What pest?

In addition, leaf drop with pepper plants can be caused by over-watering.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Organic Gardening forum

Deb: I have to agree with Dave.

Firstly, the idea behind pest control with any type of gardening(organic or conventional) is 1) identify 2) find treatments for identified pest 3) especially with organic, use least harmful of treatments (to beneficial insects and ecosystem), and go from there.

Let's take aphids, for instance

First, for all pests, you want to create an IPM program(research IPM). That's planting flowering plants and herbs that flower at different times of the year that attract beneficial insects. For aphids, that would be ladybugs, lacewings, et al.

Let's say that your populations of ladybugs just can't handle the populations of aphids -- maybe you're IPM program isn't fully set. Then you would go to the next LEAST invasive control. That would be physically squishing the aphids. So, you've done a lot of squishing and you still notice lots of aphids. Next least invasive. That would be strong spray of water on the undersides of the leaves in the morning and eve every few days. Still high populations? Next least invasive -- insecticidal soap in the morn and eves every few days.

This is where you're at right now, but you don't even know if you should be doing it because you haven't identified pest yet-- insecticidal soap is a contact killer. it's not a preventative-- which I'm assuming your current use of it. After using soaps, rinse off after a couple hours with water. Also, you just can't use ANY dish soap. Google homemade insecticidal soap. Read several sources and consider where the info is coming from. Choose a recipe that sounds like a good one. Dr Bronner's Castile, Fels naptha, and Ivory Pure, are 3 acceptable soaps.

Back to the aphids -- soap isn't working enough, yet it should if you're diligent. The next least invasive would be an oil, preferably neem oil. Any pesticide past that, IMO, is harmful to the beneficials. Tough to stay organic after this.

But there is one last resort -- purchase beneficials. Which isn't invasive at all. The thing here is that if you don't have those flowers(IPM) to keep them around reproducing, then after they do their job in your garden, they'll just fly off to greener pastures and you'll find yourself buying more next season.

Good luck and anymore questions, just ask. Or like Dave said, head on over to the Organiic forum.

Kevin

Stop spraying them the plants don't like it! Organic is about using the least amount of chemicals- soap is still a chemical. Why are you spraying if there's no pest?

Also not sure how old your pepper plants are but mine dropped all its leaves after fruiting & harvest and as the weather cooled, then began all new growth. I think that is just part if the life cycle? Mine is a jalapeño though.

Also, you are in florida and it is cold now. Except for far south florida pepper is quite unhappy right now.

I'll mostly say ditto to what Kevin posted. Maybe it's just too cold but it seems weird they'd be breaking new growth at the same time as losing their leaves. Around here pepper plants will sometimes act as deciduous perennials.

The solid majority of "dish soaps" marketed today are not actually soap at all. I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Unless you've been using a good real soap like Dr. Bronner's, mentioned by woohooman which is certified organic but not cheap, the treatment you've been using on your plants isn't organic.

Besides that the frequency is just way way WAY too high! I'm less inclined to believe the leaves are being suffocated as Dave mentioned unless the oil concentration is especially high. I've known of growers to use neem oil several times per week without ill effect as long as it doesn't get too hot. Where I am in San Diego we've had a couple of days this winter that would have been too hot to use oil sprays but it seems an unlikely cause. My best guess as to why your plants are so unhappy is because leaves are supposed to have a natural waxy epidermal layer and spraying a plant with soap as often as you are, especially if it's actually detergent, can have a detrimental impact to this protective layer.

On the other hand. There's a good chance that despite the fact you're spraying your plants way too often, what you're seeing is the die back of the shoots after getting too cold. You mentioned new growth at the bottom and in my experience with peppers you've usually lost the plant back to the point of new growth which is why here it's a toss up as to whether they're worth overwintering or not.

If you come back with more information for us about your nighttime lows and what type of bugs if any you've been seeing we might be able to get more specific.