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serenading your plants
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The Science of
Your Plants
by Chris Bond | People sing to their
plants—but does it work? Chris Bond
separates the fact from fiction in this
matter by looking at the science.
“M
usic hath charms to soothe the savage beast,” accord-
ing to the 18th century playwright William Congreve,
but what about its ability to charm a mild-mannered plant?
Anecdotally, this phenomenon had been postulated for many
years. Over the past five decades, however, numerous research
studies have been undertaken to find the answer.
What was found is that, yes, sound affects plants. In fact,
plants that are exposed to different types of noise react or grow
differently than those that are not. Plants, of course, do not have
ears, but they can feel the sound vibrations. Also, they react to
different types of music in both positive and negative ways. So,
though their taste in music might differ from yours, you might
want to find a radio station that they agree with if you are
looking to get the most out of your plants.
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