My concern in the raised bed last year was that it stayed too damp all summer. This year I added more peat and perlite, which so far seems to be draining better.

My question is soil temps. Today is 85, and the top soil, not surprisingly, is dry and hot. However, going just 4 inches down, the soil has retained moisture and feels noticably cooler. How much cooler should the soil be when you get in the root zone? I'm concerned it might be too cool? I know peppers like it warm. Any insight would be great.