For the past two years, I see these yellow plastic-looking particles in my garden. I know it's either from my homemade compost or leaves. At first, I thought that it was ripped particles of plastic from my leaf collection. I collect them from my municipal leaf deposit. Now I'm starting to think that it comes from my compost. I usually almost always apply unfinished compost in my garden (as mulch, yes, my plants grow every well). When I apply it, I don't see these particles. It's only when everything gets decomposed that they start showing up. I think they show up in spring, not late summer. I apply compost year round, except in winter.

Recently, I'm thinking that these are the leftover pieces of hot pepper skin. I do grow RED hot chili pepper and skin is disregarded in compost. Maybe it is too spicy for bacteria to decompose it? Color turns to yellow (is it possible?)? I tried smelling it. I can't really tell, but it may smell a bit like pepper. When I asked someone else to smell it, she said it doesn't smell anything...

I'm kinda sure it's pepper skin, but how can I be 100% sure? It literally looks like plastic, although it crumbles into pieces easily.