Talk to Your Plants - Why It Makes Sense?

There is never been a better time to be a Plant Parent.

There are many Instagram pages dedicated to houseplant trends, artistic watering cans, moisture sensing kits, custom plant delivery services, and now, we have bedtime stories for plants.

This new book for our green companions is a clever marketing idea of SpareRoom, a U.K. website devoted to assisting people finding roommates and lodging.
 
"Bedtime Stories for Plants," written by children's author Alice Hemming and illustrated by Livi Gosling, includes a collection of three short stories titled "The Three Ferns," "Longing" and "What Goes Around."

The stories are designed to be read aloud to plants and can be downloaded for free from SpareRoom as an eBook or audio-book.

Matt Hutchinson, director of SpareRoom, says in a press release: "Owning a property seems like a distant dream for many young renters but living somewhere that feels like home shouldn't be. With so few tenancies allowing pets or letting tenants redecorate, we're seeing more and more people are turning to houseplants as the ideal way to personalize their space."

This canny advertising tool is also grounded in truth. In an ever-shifting economy and chaotic real estate society, younger people are struggling to afford their first house or are moving back in with their parents. 

So it makes sense that plants are a convenient and cozy way to make an otherwise generic space just a little homier.

The Perks of Being a Plant Parent

"It makes perfect sense," adds Hutchinson. "Plants can totally change the feel of even the most functional space, plus they're relatively affordable and, unlike bulky furniture or color schemes, you can take them with you when you move."

Before you roll your eyes and attack millennials for yet another silly accessory, remember that plant-chatting is not new. In 1848, a German professor named Gustav Fechner published a book called "Nanna (Soul-life of Plants)," making the notion that talking to plants improved their health and growth.

In 2009, the Royal Horticultural Society began a month-long study involving 10 gardeners, both men, and women. The horticulturists were recorded reading both literary and scientific works, which were then played through a set of headphones attached to a tomato plant. 

After one month, all the plants had sprouted taller than the two control plants, but the ones experiencing female voices did better by a full inch.

Plant Talk

If you are running out of things to speak, consider reading a bedtime story to your plants. SpareRoom Rich Marini, head of Penn State's horticulture department, also encourages the idea of plant lullabies. "There isn't a lot of research in this area," he says. "But there is evidence that plants respond to sound."

Researchers have been analyzing how plants interact with one another for a while, so it makes sense that adding a human factor definitely couldn't harm. "Wind or vibration will induce changes in plant growth," continues Marini. "Since sound is essentially vibration, my guess is that vibration is causing a response."

Needless to say, all the reading in the world will not improve your leafy friends if you don't remember to water it. If you aspire to be a successful Plant Parent, simply stick to the basics. "The best thing people can do to help their plants grow is providing them with light, water, and mineral nutrition," advised Marini.

However, if you find yourself humming lullabies at night to your ferns or whispering gentle nothings to your plants, don't be embarrassed. It surely won't prevent your plant's growth, and who knows? It might just help your own inner growth.

Written by - Anusha Vajha

Edited by - Adrija Saha