Control of weeds growing around field edges to limit seed production is an important component of preventative weed management. POST herbicide rates that are effective on weeds growing within a dense corn or soybean canopy may not be high enough to control weeds at the edge of a field. A study was conducted from 2004 through 2006 to compare velvetleaf growth and fecundity at the edge of the field as opposed to within the crop in response to a range of glyphosate rates. Treatments included position (plot center or edge), time of emergence (VE or V4 crop growth stage) and glyphosate rate (0 to 900 g ae ha⁻¹). Without herbicide application, velvetleaf plants grown on the edge flowered earlier, had thicker stems, and produced more seed capsules than plants grown in the center of the plots. At glyphosate application rates of 200 to 900 g ha⁻¹, the percentage of plants surviving and reproducing was higher on the edge than within the crop. Edge plants treated with 900 g ha⁻¹ of glyphosate produced more seeds than center plants that received no herbicide. Dose–response curves were used to estimate the glyphosate rate that would reduce seed production of surviving plants to 80% of the untreated plants. Plants emerging at the VE stage were estimated to require 300 g ha⁻¹ within the corn or soybean canopy and 668 g ha⁻¹ on the crop edge, whereas plants emerging at the V4 stage would require 0 g ha⁻¹ within the canopy and 280 g ha⁻¹ on the crop edge.