I wholeheartedly disagree with the idea that this type of fruit plant thrive under "neglect". Some species are more adept to thrive in a low water environment, and others absolutely not.
Please see my 6 babies in an ebb & gro with continual nutrition and reliable water. If you want low-maintenance peppers, choose strains that are indigenous to areas that match your soil makeup, average temperature, and accessability to water, ie, rain only or irrigation.
Try standard jalapenos for everyday cooking, salsas, fried, jelly etc.
Large Poblanos are great for adding to vegetables, dishes, stews, rice, they are mild with a bit of a kick enough to flavor anything from drab to fab. I roast one, peel and seed, and add it chopped up to bottled alfredo sauce for a more interesting version of chicken alfredo.
Grow a Cayenne!, stop buying that powdered shit in a can, grow a Cayenne. Dry them and then pulversize them in a blender for your own (better) cayenne. It also has a yellow and orange cultivar.
Cubanelle, the green ones in the stores are the young unriped flavorless babies of the bright ellow and red of a full grown sweet Cubanelle.