Well, so much for that idea. Thanks for the replies. I can't keep them off of it because of the logistics -- it's why my backyard is crabgrass. The previous owners took terrible care of it and with 7 special needs dogs I can't just fence off the yard. One of them leaps like a gazelle and would just go in anyway. I guess I'll just let the crabgrass fill it in. We discovered that the front lawn has some sandburr plants. Isn't that just lovely?

No, I don't think dried seed will germinate quite that easily for you - Fall sowing fresh seed may have resulted in easy seedlings this Spring. Clothiers: Acer palmatum , Japanese maple, seed should be collected from the tree before it dries, then sown directly outdoors for germ. the following spring. To try to mimic what mother nature would have done with these in Fall, try pouring hot water over the seeds, let stand in the water for 24-48 hours. Drain water from seed, put them in a zip lock with a little moist sterile sand or vermiculite at room temperature for 60 days, then cold stratify for not less than 60 days and up to 120 days before bringing them back to warm.

My butterfly bush has never seeded itself in the past and it has flourished in the garden for 4 years. I try to keep it compact as well. They need to be dead-headed or they stop producing flowers pretty quickly. zoozue

If you are new to gardening and want to grow primarily in pots, I would recommend purchasing zinnia seed to experiment with, or specifically, Harlequin or Figaro mix dahlia seed. Most dahlia varieties grow from 3-5 feet tall in full sun, and need lots of support, water and fertilizer. When cultivated correctly, dahlias (from seed or tubers) will bloom mid-summer to frost/winter. The two types of dahlia seed I am recommending are specifically for the greenhouse trade, bred to be short to sell as potted plants. I'm sure there are others, but those are the two I have personally grown or heard good results from other growers. Vendors- beware of the info they 'provide' about dahlias, as often it is incorrect. Here is an excerpt from a vendor that is trying to sell without knowing their product: "Unlike most DahliaâÂÂs from tubers, seed dahlias are generally more compact in habit, and are best for borders and mixed patio containers." Hogwash! If you plant mixed seeds for sunflowers, some might grow eight foot, some only a foot high.. It depends on the parents, not the fact that it's from seed. Same with dahlia seed. One exception with dahlias... 98% of the seed from a fully double dahlia parent will most likely be open-centered like daisies. If you want to grow the larger blooms or elaborate forms, buy tubers and put them into the ground. Can you grow those in pots? Yes, but they require lots of attention with water, staking and fertilizing. Even then, they'd probably perform better in the ground. The above link from Ted is very good, and has excellent dahlia growing articles. Good luck!