1. both are normally grown from transplants, not direct seeding. With this late start adding the time required to grow from seed would put you far into the high heat of a Georgia summer before they are ready to bloom and that heat will insure little to no production. As for trying to germinate in the same pot it would grow in for its entire life? No, never recommended for many many reasons that would take pages to cover. Simply put, it doesn't work just as putting a baby in adult clothing and expecting him to drive himself to pre-school doesn't work. ;-)

2. yes you will need a growing mix like MG Potting Mix and you will have to supplement the nutrients regularly. For that plant you will need a 10-15 gallon pot.

3. what can you do to keep it small and still produce fruit? Nothing, it isn't possible. Genetics rule and that variety is genetically quite large and quite tall IF you want fruit from it. If you want a plant to stay quite small and still bear fruit then pick another variety that fits your conditions and there are many available. It is the growing conditions you can provide that dictate what varieties will work for you. When those conditions are severely limited so are your choices IF you want a chance at success.

Sorry, not what you want to hear I know but any success requires we be somewhat realistic in our expectations.

Dave

Thanks for your replies. I understand your concerns, but I'm going to give it a shot anyway. I have the seeds in hand already and I won't have a proper garden any time soon, so why not?

My plan is to start the seedlings indoors in a small container. Once it has outgrown that, I will transplant it to a larger container with the regular potting mix. If temperatures are too high during the summer, I may bring the plant indoors for a few days to ensure it doesn't exhaust itself. I'll have it by the window and it should get plenty of sunlight. I can do it right?

It will be a good experiment and learning exercise for you. That way you'll be much better prepared for success next year from all you learn this year.

Dave

Depending on what tomato you grow, it may easily be 6 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide when you try to 'bring it in and put it by a window'

The peppers may work out better for you than the tomatoes. They are much smaller plants. They may live through summer if you shade them and then start producing again in the fall. The knowledge you gain by growing peppers will carry over next year when you can work on larger scale plants (tomatoes).

A few basic good practices: avoid peat pots. Any seed starting flat or the bottom half of solo cups with holes in the bottom will work better.

Since I'm in NH I probably should try to give you any advice but I really don't think moving a plant indoors is a good idea. I'm figuring a/c would not be good for it. Growers provide shade for outdoor plants when necessary. If you are in an apartment, does your patio really have 10 hours of sun? Perhaps there's a place on your patio that gets a little shade or you can provide it with a patio umbrella? From my experience, growing a tomato plant in a large container is going to hamper its growth a bit. I've gotten tomatoes but not the production I get from my plants growing in soil. Growth may also be hampered by not getting as much fertilizer and water as it should. I don't think your tomato plant is going to get as big growing in a container as it would in the soil.