"Safe" Weed Killer?

I use teakettles filled w. boiling water for poison ivy, but that is no solution for a large area. Yr gardener should have some answers.

I agree that boiling water works. So does heavy mulching with redwood chips or shaves (redwood naturally inhibits plant growth).

If you live in an area w. a tick issue, they love hiding in moist piles of shavings or chips. It really is a no-win situation. Hand-weeding flower and veggie beds is good exercise and keeping the lawn mowed is good, too, if you aren't looking for perfection. Also, next time you plant, layer some newspaper or plastic around plants and cover w. soil. Weeds will find it harder to push thru.

I personally like a roughish look and plant ground cover around all flowers....sweet woodruff, myrtle, creeping Jenny, thyme, violets, low Veronica, ajuga...they crowd out weeds.