Know what you mean. At 71 I figure I need to spend more of my time planting and enjoying the garden and less weeding.

I have no qualms about using Preen. I don't know of any harm that it does to the environment, tho' it's manufacture probably does do something bad. My biggest problem is getting around to putting it out at the right time! I use Roundup, too. We have a fairly large back yard and the neighbor has a wooded area he can't even get to easily because of a creek. There are lots of privet bushes, English ivy, poison ivy, and heaven knows what else coming through, under, and over the fence. Every couple of years I cut back what I can and spray the rest with Roundup. Then I spray as far as I can into his property (with his permission) to beat the junk back for a while.

In the beds and borders I also use lots of wood chips for mulch to smother weed seeds. A man who cuts trees here is happy to dump a big truck load of good chips when he's working in this area. Saves him a trip to the landfill and a dumping fee. I usually wind up letting it sit for several months before I get around to spreading it, which is recommended, but I have put it out fresh without any problems.

My hat is off to you still doing all that at 71! I'm discovering gardening by roundup. Yeah, I'm sure that used prodigously it can damage the environment. But then, an impenetrable stand of weeds doesn't do me any good either. And there are plants like poison ivy and kudzu that exist just for roundup I suspect. I suspect that at least some in this country who are so appalled at the use of Roundup just might have a different opinion if they gardened in the deep south and had multiple physical problems.
dell