Peppers require warm soil temperatures and plenty of sunshine. If six hours + of direct sunlight is not available in your garden, then consider growing plants in pots/containers and place them in the sunniest part of your yard.

Peppers also require more water than most would think. How much? Well, that depends on many factors (soil type and structure, mulch, outside temperature, etc.) The best advice is to keep the soil consistently moist to the depth of 6 inches (think damp sponge) remembering that to do this you will have to actually touch the soil - lightly scratching below the surface and feeling it. Adjust your watering habits accordingly. 

Irrigation practices can also change the heat level of peppers. Were your jalapenos more like a serrano? (Plants were too dry when fruits were maturing,) Where your bell peppers bitter? (Again, plants did not receive enough moisture when fruits were growing). On the flip side, if you like the flavor of hotter varieties but not necessarily the scorch - OVER watering will reduce heat as well (think dilution).

Lastly, DO NOT GROW HOT PEPPERS NEAR SWEET PEPPERS - EVER. Whether by wind or insect or both, pollen exchange between them will make sweet peppers spicy and hot peppers milder. 

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Plant peppers between 12" to 24" apart. There was a study done years back that I read that determined an overall increase in yields when plants were able to touch their neighbors!