What were the growing conditions? In ground or pots? Watering? How many hours of full sun?

All the peppers are in the ground, the famous Texas Black Clay amended with cow manure compost. They get watered every other day, and get sun pretty much all day.

I would suggest shade cloth for the hotter months of the season, since heat seems to be too much for the plants. Since they are in the ground, can't move them like you would in pots. Also sounds like your soil dries out quickly so adding some peat moss or other moisture holding ingredient or use both shadecloth and soil additive.

Hope others have some additional ideas.

Since bells don't produce many flowers until later in the year, I wouldn't snip any buds/flowers EVER.

You might try pollinating yourself with a Q-tip.

It gets pretty hot here later in the summer and into the fall, and the only problem I ever have is maybe some sunscald. That's where some shade cloth might be useful like habjalokia suggested.

Also, every other day watering seems a bit too often if you're mulching at all. Maybe deeper soaks less frequently.

I pretty much treat them like I do all my peppers, hot and sweet.