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Hello everyone,

Do you talk to your plants? Do you play music to them? If yes why and what results do you think you get if any? If no, do you think it would make a difference if you did?

Prince Charles is renowned for talking I think to everything but especially to his vegetables if the newspapers are to be believed.

Do you know of any other famous personage or character who talks to plants? Miss Marple maybe?

Please pass an opinion here - it would be a fun and potentially very useful conversation to have.

Thanks and cheers

Hi Lestie,

I just finished reading, "The Telepathic Power of Plants" that contains a lot of research on this subject. I found it quite interesting, have you read it? If you have what did you think?

I talk to trees. Sometimes I'd rather talk to trees than people!

Hi Lori and Sandy and all,

No I haven't read that research Lori, but will look out for it, read it and get back to the forum.

I ALWAYS talk to my plants and have done since we did a study way back in my life, OMGollygosh 'n all, in the early 1970's at Uni where we shouted and got mad at some plants and played loud heavy metal music to them Iron Butterfly, Santana, Cream etc). We told them that they were really ugly and didn't deserve a place in the garden and that they were useless and who would want them for free let alone go and buy them at a shop AND which plant would want to be next to them at the nursery and so on and so forth.

Then we had a section with as near as identical group of plants as we could set up, where we played gentle lullabyes and piano and concerti and general instrumental/classical violin (Mozart etc) and all and told them they were beautiful, like gems and butterflies and deserved a place in every garden etc etc.

The third was an added group where some of us (me too) played other stuff but a mixture ... country and western, gospel, choral work (light) jazz (light) melodic stuff - you choose and sometimes and mostly said nice things and sometimes got irritable and cross but didn't shout or scream or say mean things.

Finally there was the control group of plants that we just watered and fed as one would, not speaking to them at all, they were just there growing. All 4 sets of plants had the same sunlight, food, watering regime etc.

Well, I am sure you will guess what happened. The control group grew as they would have normally and came third, the country and western group came nearly tie first with the lullabye group. They blossomed, they grew tall, they bloomed, they seeded, flowered and the gooseberries and tomatoes were the tastiest I ever ate. And the poor old heavy metal group withered, a lot of them died "of a broken heart" we concluded and anyway did not flower or produce fruit or seeds. They certainly came fourth and last.

It seemed such a simple hypothesis to prove at the time even though it took us around 4 months over a summer term to complete the experiment, but the thing is we did it, the ten of us stuck with it and we got an A- for our efforts. The minus was because we hurried the conclusion and the Prof reminded us that no research is ever to be pre-concluded no matter how simple the premise was and that conclusions deserved as much if not more attention than the statement of intent to prove yadda yadda yadda. Lesson learnt.

WAIT FOR IT NOW!

Yes, St Lestie to the rescue.

I took what was left of the heavy metal group home to Mom and she and I 'nursed them back' by telling them how brave they were for having been part of a mean experiment for people who really did not know better etc etc and so on. They recouped to 80%ish, especially the cacti. The more tender plants didn't do that well though they did flower at least once. Can't remember them now petunias and pansies and some lillies. I don't think any of the bulbs survived but really do not remember. I think my love of gardening really started thereand then - my Mom was a gardener and I learnt a lot from her growing up; but this darn experiment made me fall in love with the garden and I haven't looked back.

I talk to the trees all the time. I commune with my plants. I thank them for sharing their bounty, beauty and fruit. But then I am old enough to be a tad eccentric now. Smile please.

I have a Zulu garden assistant here and we are gardening together daily. I tell him to talk to the plants. Of course he thought and thinks I am crazy but it was a Kodak moment the other day, he beckoned to me to show me something. It was a Yucca that I had told him to recycle - I thought it had really seen better days. He took it and planted it behind a rock in the back garden and tells me these past 5 months has been looking after it and talking to it in Zulu and English loudly so that people can hear or in his head so he thinks the thoughts.

Well, I couldn't work out what it was he was pointing out to me at first but then when I realised and looked him with my surprised smile ... his face was just fab. That grin, that pride, that achievement smile that only a gardener or perhaps a Mom or a Dad can have was there. One convert. Many to go!

I know you are going to do what you are going to do - but try it and see. Prince Charles is not wrong.

Cheers now and pleased you read this far down to get this greeting!

The Animal Kingdom could not survive without the Plant Kingdom here on earth. Plants are man's truest friends. Only giving, never taking.

Hello to you all - I thought I would repost this one too as it is interesting for many reasons.

Do you talk to your plants? If you didn't have you started to do so now? Would you say you'd had good results from a friendly plant?

C'mon, share your thpughts please ... Me? For sure, I talk to them all the time and especially when I am about to prune or transplant or trim or whatever. I tell them what I am going to do before I do it. Touched? Maybe! Cheers now...

Hello

Wow Lestie, I do believe that plants listen to us. They probably feel us too. I did read about Prince Charles talking to his plants. And that was a lovely experiment that you did, I just wish our Professors were this flexible. It would have been a very fulfilling experiment.

Recently, I read about a research which concluded that plants are capable of learning and remembering. We consider ourselves as the most intelligent beings on earth, but there is intelligence in the birds, fishes and plants too! They see and read the signs of nature much better and faster than us.

I remember reading that plants react differently to different humans. There was a story (long back!) about plants getting frightened of a person who murdered someone in their presence.

And lastly, in my religion we believe even plants have souls.

Luther Burbank, the famous horticulturist, who bred many new varieties of seeds, talked to his plants.

In his Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda quotes Burbank: "While I was conducting experiments to make 'spineless' cacti, I often talked to the plants to create a vibration of love. 'You have nothing to fear,' I would tell them. 'You don't need your defensive thorns. I will protect you.' Gradually the useful plant of the desert emerged in a thornless variety."

Yogananda goes on to say: "The great horticulturist told me that his first notable triumph was the large potato, now known by his name. With the indefatigability of genius, he went on to present the world with hundreds of crossed improvements on nature his new Burbank varieties of tomato, corn, squash, cherries, plums, nectarines, berries, poppies, lilies, roses."

So talking to plants and showing them love works wonders!

Hi Anu and all,

I can believe that plants would react differently to some people as they might to others (like animals and children) but it would be difficult to prove it don't you think? That having been said, does it really matter? Happy gardeners and happy plants for beauty and purpose and yield - can't be beat.

I am still talking my talk ...

Cheers now

Hey Linda Sue,

This sounds fascinating and well worth some research by me for me for sure. Thanks for posting, will follow up, Cheers

Dear Lestie,

Trees ,especially ,the weeping white birch tree, are of the outmost importance in my life.
I do not cry for the passing of a human being,but I do for trees.

loong

You're welcome, Lestie! I think there is a lot of research done in this area. Lots of support for the feelings and reactions of plants.

Have a happy day!

Hello loong, why do you grieve especially for a weeping white birch tree. Does this have a special significance in your life? Share if you will and say thanks,

Hi Lestie, I don't remember how the reaction of the plants to different people was recorded, but it was definitely recorded. Some kind of graphic recording I think, but I am not sure. Recently in Australia too it was concluded after experimentation that even though plants don't have a brain, they still were able to learn and remember.

And I think the term 'Green thumb' basically works with those who love their plants and plants in turn respond by healthy growth.

To Lestie,

First ,When I see a tree being cut ,I cry.White weeping Birch where I live are extremely rare.I remember of two and both were cut down so that the stores signs could be seen better.

If you would follow me on Buddhism you would see that I prefer Spiritual Land ,far more than manslang.

Trees are sentient beings ,defenseless.
that is why

loong

Hi loong and everyone,

How right you are about trees. We have Philistines working in our municipalities who, without thought and a STUPID order signed by a DULL person, go around chopping down trees in our avenues ... trees that have been in our suburbs for many many many years. The last tree was cut down in front of my home for the reason ... wait for it, because it might fallover. Unbelievable.

Other reasons given are vague or not acceptable and for the most part remind me of that saying "Just because you can does not mean that you should."

Most times I believe that an amoeba is more intelligent.
And I cry.

Anyway - moving on now to happier thoughts, we have a really beautiful white stinkwood tree in our back garden - it offers shade, greenery and a fine home to the weavers who build their nests in it safely. I often sit under it contemplating the middle distance as I fall in love all over again with my gardening and containers and all and all. Lucky me.

Cheers now

Dear Lestie,

never heard the word :Stinkwood:

Is it a hard wood tree ,soft wood like pine?

Loong
Norm

Hi there loong and all,

Straight from Wikipedia I copy -

"Celtis africana (White Stinkwood) is a tree in the family Cannabaceae. The species is common across large areas of the South and East of Southern Africa, ranging from a tall forest tree to a medium-sized tree in bushveld and open country, to a shrub on rocky soil."

There is a lot of other information on this tree, and who knows, maybe they are to be found in the US under a different name.

Stinkwood furniture is valued and a good investment as it is beautiful and hard. But as I say, ours in the back garden is a beauty and certainly will not be cut down for any reason, least of all because it may fall over or for furniture.

Must say I have never seen or even thought of Stinkwood as a shrub. I learnt something today.

Cheers now

Dear Lestie,
Thank You.

Where I live .last nite was -35 degrees celcius.

loong

loong - I just couldn't imagine living in such cold - one surely has to be born into it! I suppose it would be much the same as living in the desert areas of the world, got to be born into that heat.

I remember when Johannesburg had snow - it never happens but that day in September 1981 it did. I was working in an office with a Scottish lady who had been in S A as an immigrant for about 2 months, and she was very dismissive of our excitement, Firstly she couldn't understand the fuss we all made about playing in the snow and building snowmen etc, but also laughed at us for feeling cold ... she said it was like a mild day in Scotland so what was the fuss about the temperature?

Oh dear - I think it has to do with having 'thick' blood or something. Anyway, that may have helped her with her feeling not cold - but it certainly didn't help her dyspeptic view on our snow fun! Shame. Cheers

Dear Lestie

Last nite another -35degrees.We do not wear shorts or bermudas.
This year the fashion for headgear,is fur or I prefer fake fur,not killing animals ,in which ,yoy have the two sides of the head ,wether up when not too cold let's say -15 but -30 the side flaps go down and cover your ears ond part of the neck .

67 years old which means ,I have live in cold and snow for close to half of that.
And yes our blood thickens in winter.We eat more meat,not me .
I am a vegetarian ,much more fat to be able to cope with the cold.

Where I live is a ski resort ,people actually living year round
9000, people,weekends goes to maybe 50,000.Especially in spring for the spring skying getting tanned and such.

Isn't internet fantastic You in the scorching heat and I in the
scorching cold,and we can have this lovely conversation.

Don't get sunburned ,now,I might get cold frost ,but I dress well.

Happy to talk to you

loong
Mont Tremblant,Quebec,Canada.

Hi loong,

What trees and plants grow there for you to talk to? What do people do for gardening, especially in containers.

You are so right - this internet is a joy!

Cheers now

Hey Lestie!!!!

Yes!!! I talk to plants and trees. I love them.

Great topic

Yes, I talk to the trees and the flora.

Lori and Yvonnie - what results do you get? Do you see them or do you just talk to your plants anyway because, well, maybe you are a bit touched?

Smile now - people catching me doing it 'look at me funny' as they say here and I just laugh.

I swear that a philodendron that cracked because of the weight of the leaves MENDED because I patched it up immediately and tied it together with with stockings. I propped it up and the whole arrangement looked a bit odd for a few months, but I played Mozart and spoke to her all the time (I call her Annie) and just last week I undid the bandages and there, it had knotted together. I was amazed. Truly.

I did not lose a plant and may even have flouted some rules or expectations. Anyway, Annie is now propped up and supported nicely and still giving me new leaves as I trim her back. Bless her.

Cheers now

My plants did well.

That said, I am a bit touched. There is an old willow tree at the lake. He stands alone. He has a bit of fungus on him, but he is majestic. I used to make a point to hug him and tell him how much I loved him at least once a week. Then, we moved.

I haven't checked on him lately and have been wondering how he is doing.

Yep, people look at me funny.

Hello there Yvonnie, here is one for you...

Oh lonely tree Willow tree, sad on the lake
Was Inspired by Yvonnie, as her hugs he did take
Now fungus besides, a majestic fellow was he
Who now misses her sweet presence, oh dearie me!

Smiling right now...cheers