The Effect of Music on Plant Growth
Surely, you have heard that music is beneficial for plants and helps them grow and develop better. If you are interested in flowers and plants, buying houseplants, and taking care of plants, you may have even experienced this yourself. In this section, we want to explore whether plants can actually hear the sounds around them and react to them. Do plants have feelings too?
Such ideas may seem pointless or even amusing to some people; however, the results of numerous studies and experiments have actually confirmed that there is some truth to this subject. As a result, you may observe faster and healthier growth in your plants when music is played. In fact, just like humans, plants can hear sounds and respond to them. Therefore, when caring for your plants, always consider the potential beneficial effects of music. At the same time, keep in mind that this does not mean you can play any type of music for your plants continuously. More precisely, plants are affected by vibrations created by sound waves. These vibrations cause the plant cells to move, which in turn stimulates the plant to produce more nutrients and grow better. Therefore, keep in mind that if the volume and frequency are too high, they can place greater stress on the plant, which may have negative effects.
One of the earliest studies on the effects of music on plants was conducted by Indian botanist Dr. T. C. Singh in 1962. Dr. T. C. Singh found that some plants showed significant growth when exposed to music (25% to 60% more than the average growth in the region). When he played music through speakers around the farm, he obtained similar results with agricultural crops such as rice, tobacco, and peanuts.
In 1973, the book "The Secret Life of Plants" was published by Christopher Bird and Peter Tompkins, discussing the physical, emotional, and spiritual relationships between plants and humans. The publication of this book made the possibility of this idea seem more plausible. Based on their studies, Bird and Tompkins showed that music could help plants grow better and that plants could also display intelligent responses to their environment. That same year, Dorothy Retallack, one of the researchers at Colorado Women's College, compiled the results of her research on music and plants in a book titled "The Sound of Music and Plants." By exposing plants to the note "F," she observed that these plants remained healthier than the control group. Another experiment conducted by Retallack involved playing classical, jazz, and rock music for plants. The results showed that plants exposed to calm classical and jazz music grew toward the speakers, almost as if they were trying to embrace them! However, plants that were exposed to rock music deteriorated and died within approximately two weeks.
However, researchers at the University of California believe that there is still no conclusive scientific evidence that music affects plant growth, and that if a plant's basic needs, such as water, soil, and light, are properly provided, it will continue to live and grow naturally and healthily. These researchers also state that if a plant has shown good growth while exposed to music, it may be because of the high level of care and special attention provided by its caretakers.
Choosing the Right Music for Plants:
As mentioned earlier, not every type of music is suitable for plants. Based on the research conducted, positive effects have been observed from classical music and negative effects from rock music, which we have discussed above.
Among the various musical styles available, we recommend that when buying flowers and ordering houseplants, and for the purpose of caring for them, you choose green music. Green music refers to songs that combine classical music with sounds from nature, such as birdsong, the sound of rain and water, and so on. These soothing sounds can promote greater plant growth, increase seed germination, and have positive effects on plant metabolism and function. Also, do not forget that if plants are exposed to very loud sounds and music is played for them continuously and for long periods, it may also have negative effects.
