My attempt at using eggshells for plants backfired with pests

I keep hearing about using crushed eggshells to give plants more calcium. So I sprinkled some in the pots for my balcony peppers. Not long after, I saw a bunch of small flies hanging around the plants. The shells were just sitting there and seemed to attract the bugs. I scooped them all out and wiped down the soil. The fly issue cleared up pretty fast. Have you tried any home remedies that didn't work out?

3 comments

3 Comments

kelly.nora1mo agoMost Upvoted

Ugh, my banana peel "fertilizer" just bred fruit flies instead.

quinn_hayes1mo ago

My garden in Portland has used raw eggshells for years without pest issues. I just make sure to bury them a bit in the soil so they don't sit on top. This simple step keeps the flies away and still helps the plants.

riley_kim561mo ago

Oh man I saw this gardening blog that said you HAVE to bake eggshells first to kill anything on them! They said just crushing them isn't enough and the leftover protein from the egg membrane can actually draw bugs in. Sounds like that's exactly what happened to you lol. Same kinda deal with the banana peels someone mentioned, you can't just toss raw kitchen scraps on top of the soil. It's a bummer because those tips sound so easy but they always seem to backfire.