Wow. Maybe bonzai'ing an ornamental type of pepper would be cool too? (if it works out for the Jalapeno plant!) :) And here I am deathly afraid of killing my plants with under/over watering :)

Not a problem at all, and definitely leave both stems on there. The more it branches out - and more stem shoots created, gives it more area to produce peppers. Jay

That weird if the other plants in there are doing okay. Maybe in the spot your planting there was some chemical in the pool at that spot?

I grow peppers in the ground in desert AZ. You have to get them in the ground in early April at the latest so they have time to establish a root system before the 100+ temps are regular. To get a strong root system you need to water infrequently - let them dry out between waterings so the roots will grow to find water - dry means a bit of wilting even when shaded and dry soil several inches down. Only then will they survive the full heat of summer. In full 115F sun a healthy plant will still have heavy wilting, but as soon as they get shade they perk up very quickly. Of course you can plant seedling later, but then you need to keep shaded and water more frequently - and still you will end up with stunted plants that are prone to insects. In desert AZ I've learned to get the best harvest, plant in March, get a few spring fruits before the summer heat, then the name of the game is keeping the plants healthy thru the summer - you will get a fruit set here and thee with occasional drops in temp. As soon as temps cool in the fall the plants will perk up, fruit will set and you will have a massive winter harvest. Al