from Nebraska...
I have tomatoes and echinachea in fairly close proximity in my garden. The tomatoes I mulch with grass clippings and water on a daily basis in the summer. The echinachea I don't.
The main thing for the tomatoes I think would be getting them enough sun and making sure that you water them more often. The peppers may not need quite as much water, but I mulch them the same as the tomatoes. Nothing better than home grown tomatoes! Give it a try.

Jmpete...

thanks for getting back to me...I will give it a try and will see how I can work out my drip system so that the water gets more water.