Have you ever dug a garden? If so, you may have come across worms. They do look ugly, but they contribute major help in the health of your plants. Here is how to help them in return:
Participate in SciStarter project Great Lakes Worm Watch(http://www.scistarter.com/project/333-Great%20Lakes%20Worm%20Watch). Another thing you can do is make a little 'worm refuge'. Turn over and dig up some soil only a few inches deep. Scatter some leaves on it, and it is ready for the worms! Whenever you see a worm out on your driveway, or stuck in the sun, help relocate it to a shady, grassy area. Also, when you water your plants, wet the soil around it, too. The worms will be thankful!
How exactly do worms help your garden? They dig tunnels through the soil, aerating it in the process. That's not all they do. Worms eat leaves, and they excrete the excess in the form of droppings--- in the soil! These droppings are rich in nutriment and act as fertilizer for plants. Fun Fact about earthworms: If a predator bites of part of a worm's body, it can grow it back!
Normally worms grow to be at most a few inches long. However, some are giants. One rare type has been known to reach 6 feet long! These species spend a few months or more in cocoons, growing to their full size. Then, they burrow underground and spend the rest of their lives there. Sometimes, if you are in the right place at the right time, you may hear gurgling sounds made by the worms in their tunnels. However, these worms live exclusively in certain places.
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