New homeowner stunned after unearthing bizarre objects buried in yard: 'Why are they here?'

A new homeowner in Texas thought they were just clearing out some raised garden beds. Instead, they ended up sifting through what looked like a plastic confetti party gone wrong.

In a Reddit post in r/gardening, the user shared their surprise after finding bits of plastic scattered throughout the soil. "Should I just clear these out completely?" the user asked. "Grab some soil and mulch and refill? Is this totally fine since microplastics are already in our brain? Why are they here?"

Other gardeners chimed in the thread with a few familiar stories of their own. Some suggested the pieces were fertilizer or just perlite, a common soil additive. But others noticed something about some of the pieces, too: they were flat plastic shards that looked more like weather-worn garden tags or paint chips than anything helpful.

Turns out, it's not that rare. Many store-bought composts and soil mixes now contain plastic bits — often from curbside green waste that wasn't sorted properly. Even some mulch is made from blended yard clippings that can include small amounts of plastic packaging, broken tools, or nursery tags.

That means people trying to grow tomatoes or wildflowers might also be introducing plastic to their soil. And over time, these plastics break down, mess with soil health, and can even end up in the food we eat. 

The original poster says they've started composting on their own to feel better about the soil. Swapping out plastic-filled garden products for DIY compost or native plant options is one way to avoid the plastics. Even lawn changes, like switching to native or rewilding, can save money on water and give pollinators a better place to hang out. That helps your plants, your soil, and your food.

"Better to rely on yourself if you can," one user said. 

"I do see the plastic. They are like flat thick paint chips. I only know what this is because I live in Arizona. I do believe your previous gardeners did keep the little plastic seedling signs either from the nursery, or homemade," another wrote. 

It is not necessarily a moment to panic, but the lesson here may be to stop short of trusting everything you find in your soil or that comes in a bag. And as always, it's never too late to start learning new ways to plant with your own DIY methods if need be.

Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden? Yes 💯 Only if it impacts your neighbors 🏘️ Depends on what you're growing 🌼 Heck no 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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