I'm going to put mine in the ground. But it's also where we kept cattle so it's loaded with composted hay, cow manure, etc etc. If I were to plant all of the peppers I have in containers, I'd have to buy so many.. lol. If you have the ground, and it's in good shape, why not?

the reason i worry about planting it in the ground is because last year i used containers, individual though and all my betters got HUGE and i had SO many peppers. I don't know if i can expect that from peppers grown in the ground.

Not sure, if the ground is in pretty good shape, and you keep them fed well I don't see why you wouldn't have an abundant supply. But we've always placed things in the ground here. Only thing is it's a little more work. But I'd almost rather do it than tend to that many containers.

Personally, if I had the land and the soil was good, and i was growing as many plants as you, I would put them in the ground. Filling that many containers will get pretty expensive.
Bruce

I use all the ground I have (which is very little) as my first choice, then start filling containers when the garden is full.

Ditto what tsheets said while still trying to maintain proper crop rotation. While sometimes certain parts of my very scattered garden beds is less than ideal as far as sun exposure, the health of my soil is important to me.

Kevin