Do you really want to be using something toxic where you grow your food? I just use my hands. I weed every couple of days so they don't get out of control.

Do you know what kind of weed you are battling with?

There may be some home remedies for you out there?

keriann~

You can get herbicides which kill grasses but not broad leaved plants and vice versa. But you can't get herbicides which kill only weeds amongst vegetables. Many vegetables are in the same families as weeds, eg dandelions and lettuce, cabbages and bitter cress, carrots and Queen Annes Lace etc. They are too genetically similar to be selectively targetted.

And, as luvahydrangea says, why would you spray toxic chemicals around your food? Weed and hoe, mulch and watch. Make sure you dig out deep rooted weeds, just pulling the tops won't do the job. That's gardening.

And, as kerriann says, try to id your weeds. Different weeds respond to different treatment.

Cardboard works pretty well, if you are looking for a less back breaking method of weed control.

Cut the weeds off at ground level, and lay cardboard down over the area, then mulch over the top to make it all look nice. By the time the cardboard has broken down, the weeds will be history (except with the most stubborn weeds).

I would add to what eaglesgarden said and mention thicknesses of newspapers as an alternative to cardboard if that's not readily available. One of the tips in Sharon Lovejoy's book 'Trowel 'n Error' suggests 30 thicknesses of newspaper under mulch to achieve a similar smothering effect on weeds. Before my neighbor went dumpster diving and brought me several truckloads of cardboard, I used newspaper on a large section of my garden and it's done a great job of smothering grass & weeds.