Date for direct seeding of chile in Denver?

[semi-ambivalent]

I usually start chile in trays and plant on June 1st here in Denver. For whatever reason, I can't stop the seedlings from getting leggy and soft, so when the first really hot spell comes along, usually a week after I plant, I always lose about 25% of the seedlings because they're just not tough enough. I work away from home and am unable to harden them off properly because, around here, the mild days of Spring last around 18 hours.

So this year I thought I'd seed right in the ground so the plants grow up tough, but when to set them in? May 1st? This year I'll be planting Anaheim, maybe some New Mexican 6-4, and Chimayo. (The Chimayo seed, from a ristra we bought from a woman in Chimayo, is eight years old this season. Last year I got 80+% germination in a sprouting box at 95 degrees.)

[JoeSpareBedroom]

You have to check the last frost date for your area on a planting zone map:

plants are getting leggy because they're not getting enough light. For most people, the best you can do is to set up fluorescent plant light. Obviously, they don't come close to duplicating the intensity of sunlight, but they're a big improvement over the windowsill.