1. Are the objective and introduction written in an engaging way? Yes No     If 'No' please explain. characters left 2. Is the difficulty level accurate? Yes No     If 'No' please explain. characters left 3. Were the materials easily obtained? Yes No     If 'No' please explain. characters left 4. Was the procedure clear? Yes No      If 'No' please explain. characters left 5. Were all safety measures included? Yes No      If 'No' please explain. characters left 6. Did you obtain clear, unambiguous results? Yes No     If 'No' please explain. characters left 7. How much time did you spend on the project? Choose One... A day or less Several days About one week A couple weeks Several weeks to months 8. How much did the project cost? Choose One... Less than $20 $20 - $50 $50 - $100 $100 - $150 $150+ Optional:  Do you have any suggestions to improve this project? characters left Optional:  Attach a picture of your project (JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG only) Optional:  Caption for picture characters left Thank you for your feedback! Abstract Everybody knows that worms are good for the soil, but not everybody knows why. Here's a project that investigates just one of the ways earthworms improve the earth. Objective The purpose of this project is to find out what the ideal proportion of earthworm castings to soil is for young garden plants. Introduction Earthworms play an important role in soil fertility, and they are often used as a quick indicator of soil fertility. What do earthworms do to the soil and do they really help to improve plant growth? Terms, Concepts, and Questions to Start Background Research In order to properly conduct this experiment you should understand the following terms and concepts: Earthworms, how they live and their benefits to soil fertility. Soil productivity and soil nutrients Worm castings, how they are produced and their composition Bibliography Understanding of earthworm biology: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07721.html#types http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthworm Benefits of earthworms: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/wonworm.html http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-1566_1733_22582_22592-68858--,00.html Similar study exploring the optimal level of castings for plant growth: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/SandT/Tech-News/TechNews-Jun02.pdf Materials and Equipment Earthworm castings Potting soil Pots (enough to have 2 pots for each plant variety at each combination of castings to soil) Plants (at least three varieties) Shop for Supplies at Science Buddies Online Store Science Buddies has compiled some suggestions for harder to find items in our Amazon store. The store does not include every item for every project, but it does include items that we feel work for the projects on our website. If you have comments or would like us to add items to the store, please contact us at scibuddy@sciencebuddies.org. Experimental Procedure Prepare the pots with mixtures of earthworm castings and potting soil. You should plan to have at least two pots per plant variety for each mixture of soil and castings. Some possible mixtures of earthworm castings are 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%. Select plant varieties to be used for the experiment. Remember that you will need at least two test of each plant with each mixture of castings, so don't select too many different varieties. We suggest using no more than three different plant types to keep the experiment manageable. (Some options: tagetes, lactuca sativa, and viola tricolor) Plant one plant per pot and make sure that you test each plant variety in each mixture of castings. Place the pots in locations where they will get equal amount of light and make sure you provide them with equal amounts of water. At the end of the experiment, photograph each of the plants examine them for growth. Variations Other additives such as ash For more science project ideas in this area of science, see Plant Biology Project Ideas. Last edit date: 2007-03-22 22:00:00

I Did This Project! Tell us about your experience with this science project. What was the most important thing you learned? characters left What problems did you encounter? (Enter "none" if you had none.) characters left Can you suggest any improvements or ideas? (Enter "no" if you have none.) characters left How do you rate this project? Poor OK Good Very Good Excellent Optional:  Attach a picture of your project (JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG only) Optional:  Caption for picture characters left Thank you for your feedback! Related Links Science Fair Project Guide Measuring Plant Growth Project Summary Difficulty  6  Time required Very Long (several weeks to months) Material Availability Readily available Cost Low ($20 - $50) Share this Project Idea! Donate to Science Buddies Motorola Solutions Foundation sponsors Summer Science Camp Resource Summer Science Camp Resource

Career Focus

If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring related careers.

	Agricultural Technician As the world's population grows larger, it is important to improve the quality and yield of food crops and animal food sources. Agricultural technicians work in the forefront of this very important research area by helping scientists conduct novel experiments. If you would like to combine technology with the desire to see things grow, then read further to learn more about this exciting career.			Plant Scientist With a growing world population, making sure that there is enough food for everyone is critical. Plant scientists work to ensure that agricultural practices result in an abundance of nutritious food in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.
	Soil Scientist Not all dirt is created equal. In fact, different types of soil can make a big difference in some very important areas of our society. A building constructed on sandy soil might collapse during an earthquake, and crops planted in soil that doesn't drain properly might become waterlogged and rot after a rainstorm. It is the job of a soil scientist to evaluate soil conditions and help farmers, builders, and environmentalists decide how best to take advantage of local soils.			Environmental Scientist Have you ever noticed that for people with asthma it can sometimes be especially hard to breathe in the middle of a busy city? One reason for this is the exhaust from vehicles. Cars, buses, and motorcycles add pollution to our air, which affects our health. But can pollution impact more than our health? Cutting down trees, or deforestation, can contribute to erosion, which carries off valuable topsoil. But can erosion alter more than the condition of the soil? How does an oil spill harm fish and aquatic plants? How does a population of animals interact with its environment? These are questions that environmental scientists study and try to find answers to. They conduct research or perform investigations to identify and eliminate the sources of pollution or hazards that damage either the environment or human and animal health. Environmental scientists are the stewards of our environment and are committed to keeping it safe for future generations.

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