I'm not sure what the difference between Boric Acid and Borax soap is, other than they both contain boron, but ants don't like the Borax and it doesn't hurt plants. It fact, I use it as a fertilizer for my apples.

Go Googling for - "boric acid" plants" - the first ghit says "Do not apply boric acid in any form to plants as it can kill them"

Death Valley is the source of 20 mule team borax, remember?

May I ask what kind of ants do you have. This may not help your problem but if you are bothered by the red ant I have learned and use a fruit jar buried next to the hole. Have the top of the jar level with the ground and the ants will fill the jar in a day or two and none are able to get out.Sounds stupid I know,but give it a try. As far as I know this only works with the red ant.Believe me,the ants will start falling into the jar before you are finished buring it.I learned this when I was a kid and I am now 76. It works. Luck to you.

Oh, I have a bunch. Little black ones and little red ones. The other kinds aren't such a problem, I don't get those in droves.

Boric acid is a really good way to kill plants! And totally not the right way to get rid of your ants out of doors.

You need an ant bait that is designed to work for ants in the outdoor environment. Amdro, well known to people who need to control fire ants, works very well on all kinds of ants. You only need a very small amount (more is NOT better), and the ants very quickly begin to take it down into their nests where it soon kills the population.

It is not labeled for use on food crops. And of course, no product should be used unless your ant problem is truly a problem and not merely an annoyance. Ants are not typically known to cause problems.

For "sugar" ants that enter my house every spring, I use a solution of boric acid and sugar in water. Saturate a cotton ball in the solution, place in a small container with holes in it. They crawl inside, grab saturated cotton and feed the nest. Pretty soon. No ants.

Another option for ants is placing dried chili peppers in a small strawberry basket or similar container nearby sinks and bathrooms where the ants come in. Within about 24-48 hrs...NO ANTS...and the peppers last for 3-6 months and look nice in a decorative basket.

A solution of borax is very useful for killing creeping charlie. But if you get it too strong you will also kill your grass and anything else you spray it on.
It works well for ant control, but you place a little in a trap and let them carry it to the nest....do NOT sprinkle on the ground. Soon you may have a patch where nothing will grow.
Linda C

I need to kill a lot of water bugs in a flower bed I'm about to start. Is it safe for future plants if I use a boric acid mix to spray in the bed?

A very safe and effective way against ants is regular cinnamon powder. They really don't like it. It done's kill them , but they will stay clear of it. So if you sprinkle it all around your plants and may be even make a spray of cinnamon and water and spray your plants with it ants will stay away.