I only use pure home made compost for my plants and sometimes I find worm castings on top of the soil or under the pot. The compost still has things in it what they can feed on.
Inside temp is around 70. Haven't seen any problem so far, but I probably don't have too many of them.
I have some which still not popped and I'm close to a month, but this is normal. Still getting pops. Temperature is around 70. The ones I'm still waiting for are:
yellow Brain Strain, Brown and Indian Carbon Bhut Jolokias and Jimmy Nardello's. Be patient. I thought my 2 Ghost Scorpions won't...
What you say sounds logical, but it is logical the opposite way too; if the plant gets less water, it can produce less overall so it has to "defend" the pods more, so it becomes hotter (but less pods). Capsaicin meant to be a defensive mechanism so animals don't eat it. I did stress my plants...
You can stress by watering less often. Your plants won't be really smaller than optimum ones, but produce hotter fruit - and a very good root system (outdoors), which is important.
I am in the same boat. I always help them if I can, they deserve it. Would be good to see a world which lives in harmony with nature, without careless people.
Cross-pollination does not affect this year's pods in any way, except the genes in the seeds, if that is why you are asking it. For the purpose of saving genuine seeds I'm interested in this one too.
I would only want to protect a few pods not the whole plant.
I used an old blender to crush the pods then a new small Moulinex coffee grinder, nothing fancy. Pretty good results, the pods were oven dried (50 *C).
I would say its unusual but who cares. It is more likely that the people calling you weird are the weird. This is a good thing and more people should do it.