Q: I have a bit of acreage and I don’t want to clear all of it, just some weeds and underbrush around my cabin. I want something to make the briars go away, but not destroy the earth.

A: In my view, glyphosate (Roundup, Killzall, Kleen-Up, etc) is very safe for exposure to humans, pets, and wild animals. I’d mix some up in a gallon sprayer and do a weed-killing landscape walk-about every couple of weeks. Eventually you’ll have most of your weeds under control. If you’d prefer an organic weedkiller you could use herbicidal soap, citrus oil or chelated iron. I do not recommend herbicidal acetic acid (extremely concentrated vinegar); it seems too dangerous to use safely. I’ve collected sources for organic weed control at bit.ly/organicweed.