Speaking Negatively to Plants: Can It Affect Them? - Planted To Grow

Speaking Negatively to Plants: Can It Affect Them?
If you have ever owned a plant, you probably have heard that you need to treat them with respect. For years gardeners around the world have mentioned the importance of positivity on your plant, but does that actually make a difference?
Plant lovers around the world and even some major retailers and corporations have done studies to find if negative speech can hurt your plant. It has been proven that the words you speak to your plant directly impact the life your plant will lead.
Some people will say this is a testament to how bullying impacts us as humans, and others will say it is a marketing ploy. With studies showing a direct correlation to negative speech to plants, it is hard to ignore. Let’s talk more about how speaking negatively can impact your plants.
Wait, Plants Have Feelings?
As crazy as it may sound, there is some truth to this idea. Are your plants going to wilt away and die within one week? Probably not. Is there a chance that you may not see your plant grow in terms of height or speed that you are expecting? That is a possibility.
A few ways that negative speech can affect your plant are:
Slow growth
Loss of blooms or lack of blooms
Loss of potential height
Premature death
One of the world’s biggest retailers, IKEA, performed a test using three plants, all identical. They had students either compliment or bully each of the plants as an initiative to draw attention to bullying. All other variables were the same, including light, water, food, and even location.
After 30 days, there was a significant difference in the plants. Plants are living objects, and it is easy to forget about them. Just like negative speech to an animal or person can ruin your relationship with them, it does have a negative impact on how your plant will grow. You also need to realize that there is no reason to speak that way to your houseplants!
Words Have Meaning, Even to Plants
Now that we know our words even have an impact on the plants in our homes, you may be asking yourself how that could be true. Think about the last time someone said something negative toward you. Answering the following questions on how you personally felt at that time.
Is what they are saying true?
Why would they say that?
Should I say something in rebuttable?
It is so easy to allow words to change our feelings and our thoughts. It sends out a type of negative energy. Since everything in the world has some sort of energy to it, there are both positive and negative energies circulating in the air. Even if you water a plant and provide it with enough light, the air around it could in a way be “toxic.”
Going deeper into the science behind words, Dr. Masaru Emoto, who was an acclaimed scientist and water researcher, established the connection between energy and the molecular structure of water. Positive energy had almost a snowflake-like effect on water molecules. In contrast, negative energy left them distorted or broken.
Talking to Plants is Not a New Concept
Even though it may seem like a newer idea, talking to plants as a way of encouraging growth actually goes all the way back to the mid-1800s. Gustav Fechner, a German professor, published a book based on the idea of talking to plants. Even Prince Charles of England has mentioned speaking to his plants.
There has also been evidence to state that plants and sounds have a direct connection. The vibration only talking can simulate the wind or similar elements that the plant would experience in their natural habitat.
Additional historical and scientific evidence in favor of talking to plants:
South Korea’s National Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology 2007
Dr. Dominique Hes, Horticulture Innovation Australia
While it sounds fantastical, as you can see, there is quite a bit of scientific literature behind it!
How Can You Speak Positively to Your Plants?
If you have ever noticed, your plants do actually fall asleep and wake up in a way. When the sun is down, you may notice your plants tending to droop down. Once they are back in the sun, their leaves spring up and are absorbing as much as they can. Think of your houseplant like a child, in a way.
For those who are not familiar with talking to their plants to encourage growth, it can be challenging to figure out where and how to start. It may seem silly at first, but if you are looking to have your plant live up to its’ potential, then a few minutes a day cannot hurt.
Here are a few ideas to help you spread positivity to your plant.
Read something out loud nearby. This could be the book you are reading, an article you are interested in, or even information about the plant itself.
Spend time on a regular basis taking care of it. During your watering or feeding time, tell your plant what you like about it or how it is doing.
Many people talk to their pets as they play with them or otherwise, so it’s just as easy to do that as you water your plants or maintain them!
Talking to Plants May Also Be Good for You
In addition to talking to your plants to help them, it may also be a great way to care for yourself. Not only are plants proven to be a great way to enhance the environment that you live in, but plants have therapeutic benefits for you as well.
Plants are ideal for those who deal with:
Depression
Anxiety
Stress
Even using your plants as a sort of therapist can help you feel less burned or stressed, but it can also make your plant feel more cared for. Caring for plants has also been proven to be a great form of Eco therapy that can benefit many people with mental health concerns.
More and more doctors and nurses are encouraging people of all ages to take up planting as a way of connecting to themselves and the earth more. Getting away from technology, out of your own mind, and even the mobility it takes to take care of plants can help many individuals.
Final Thoughts
Even though talking to your snake plant in the corner of your living room may seem like a strange idea, it is one of the best ways to ensure that your plant is growing to its’ full potential.
Here are a few ways talking can help your plant:
Increase in overall height
Quicker growing time
More or larger blooms
Talking to plants is not a new idea. It has quite a lot of historical and scientific data that have been able to show that the vibrations from talking can respond to the water structure and the overall health of a plant, and how much it can grow.
You can easily talk to your plants by just showing them extra attention while you are watering them and even doing some self-care and talking to your plants like they are your favorite therapist. Talking to your plants not only helps them, but it can help you as well.
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