When to Plant
Peppers are tropical and subtropical plants originating from places like the Amazon rainforest. They should be planted only after any chance of freezing weather is past. For someone like me living in the coastal South, that is usually sometime in late March. For region of the South further north, the earliest time peppers can be planted outdoors ranges from early April to early May. If left outdoors, pepper plants will die off after the first or second frost of Autumn. A quick web search should reveal the average first and last frost dates in your area. Ideal growing temperatures for peppers range from the low 70s to the high 80s (Fahrenheit).
Where to Plant
Plant your peppers somewhere where they will receive at least half a day of full sun. Bear in mind that if you can provide it, they will benefit greatly from some filtered shade on the hottest Summer afternoons. Plant them in an area well away from any trees. A good rule of thumb to follow with peppers and garden plants in general is that they should not be planted directly underneath the canopy of a tree. The tree's root system will steal almost all of the nutrients your pepper plant will need to survive. The farther away from a tree that you can plant your peppers, the better.
How to Plant
Before planting your pepper plants, pinch off all of the leaves from about the lowest third of the plant. Dig a hole that will be deep enough so that when you place the plant in the hole, the entire root ball and the section of the plant that you removed the leaves from will be underneath the surface of the soil. That section with the missing leaves will form roots from the stem, giving your plant an enlarged, healthier root system. Pepper plants should be spaced about 18 inches apart. I would highly recommend sprinkling about a 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of tomato fertilizer or all-purpose fertilizer in a circle around the pepper plant, and lightly working it into the soil. Repeat this process about every three weeks. Be sure that none of the fertilizer comes in direct contact with the roots or foliage of the plant.