It turns out that our indoor plants are a little more sensitive than we thought. While many of us are more worried about over-watering our frondy friends, it turns out the tunes we’re blasting at home could be having more of an impact on the growth and productivity of your plants than we think. In fact, if your plants seem to be dying for no apparent reason, it might be time to check your playlist.
In an interview with Pedestrian.tv, head researcher at Plant Life Balance, Dr Dominique Hes from the University of Melbourne, explained that plants enjoy the energy some music produces, and it can help a plant grow. In fact, she explained that:
- Plants thrive when they listen to music that sits between 115Hz and 250Hz, as the vibrations emitted by such music emulate similar sounds in nature.
- Plants don’t like being exposed to music more than one to three hours per day.
- Jazz and classical music seems to be the music of choice for ultimate plant stimulation.
- Some sounds can make the stomata on plants stay open longer (the tiny pores that act like lungs on plants) which means they take in more air and grow faster.
The theory that plants can listen is supported by a 2017 study conducted by the University of Western Australia, which found that plants have developed senses that allow them to detect and respond to sounds to find water.
That is, plants can sense sound vibrations from running water moving through pipes or soil, and will move their roots towards the sounds.
A 1973 study by undergraduate student Dorothy Rallack at Temple Buell College in Colorado found that plants exposed to an F note for 8 hours at a time died within two weeks, while plants exposed to a similar note for just three hours at a time were much healthier than plants that weren’t exposed to sound at all. She later went on to publish her findings in the book, The Sound of Music and Plants.
A 2018 study by Ikea found that a plant that is given compliments will grow healthy and strong, while a plant that is bullied turns brown and dies.
So, should you have plants dying for no good reason, maybe it’s time to hit pause on the techno, and play some classic jazz – but only for a couple of hours!
Looking for some indoor plants that won’t require compliments and soothing sounds? Watch the video below for 5 plants that thrive on neglect.
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