Earthworms

Worms improve your garden’s soil quality.   They help to increase the amount of air and water that gets into the soil and increase soil fertility.  They help to "turn" the soil, bringing down organic matter from the top and mixing it with the soil below. They break down organic matter, like leaves and grass into nutrients that plants can use. The worm's output, castings, is a high-quality organic fertilizer rich in basic plant nutrients. Odorless and innocuous in appearance, looking much like a handful of finely screened compost, castings are pure garden gold.  If there are 500,000 worms living in an acre of soil, they could make 50 tons of castings. These same 500,000 worms burrowing into an acre of soil can create a drainage system equal to 2,000 feet of 6-inch pipe. Pretty amazing for just a little old worm, don't you think?