The Case For Talking To Your Houseplants

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Plants don't interrupt you when you're talking. They don't argue or ask tough questions. And whether they're actually listening or not, research has shown that presence is reassuring. So it's no surprise that many of us talk to ourselves.

In a 2022 Trees.com survey, 50% of 1,250 respondents said they had talked to their plants and/or trees. When asked why, 65% believe it helps them grow. However, the research is not conclusive on this point. Although research has shown that vibrations caused by sound affect plants, it is still unclear whether the human voice has any specific benefits.

For many plant owners, however, the science isn't there. Marquis Matson, founder of the blog Indoor Nursery, says he talks to his plants every day because "it feels good. … I think plants develop a sense of community when you talk to them, and that's what happens."

"One thing that humans are really good at is anthropomorphism: we talk to all kinds of non-human things, like our dogs and cats," says Cindy McPherson Frantz, a professor of psychology and environmental studies at Oberlin College in Ohio. “We are programmed to project our consciousness, purpose, or feelings onto other beings or objects, and we want to connect with things outside of ourselves. Plants can fill this need.”

"Sound is absolutely important"

The plant side of the equation, a study in a 2003 issue of the journal They studied the effects of ultrasound on classical music and the sounds of birds, insects and water on the growth of Chinese cabbage and cucumber. The closure? Both noise exposures increased plant growth.

In a 2015 study published in the International Journal of Integrative Sciences, Innovation and Technology , researchers in India exposed marigold and chickpea plants to light music and traffic noise: they found that two types of plants grew and developed better, with higher height, more leaves. and a healthier look - after four hours of music exposure a day, but no traffic noise.

"Plants definitely respond to vibrations in their environment, which can cause plants to grow differently and become more resilient to collapse," says Heidi Appel, a professor of environmental sciences at the University of Toledo in Ohio. "These vibrations can come from noises in the air or from insects moving over the plants. And plants react differently to noise and music than they do to silence. However, he notes, "While sounds are absolutely essential for plants, we don't know if you talk to them, you make them grow in a different way."

Although studies and evidence on the benefits of talking to your plants are lacking, there is at least one theoretical benefit: "When we identify with a living organism we care about, we take better care of it," Apple said.

For example, when you feel more connected to your plants, you may water them more often, water them, prune them, and take other steps to care for them and help them grow. .

"Plants don't judge"

Does it help them talk to plants or not, does it help us humans? In the same 2022 trees.com survey, 62% of respondents said they talk in their green space because it improves their mental health. You may be right: many studies show that caring for plants is beneficial for our well-being.

A study in a 2018 issue of HortScience The plant found that transplantation reduced mental stress and anxiety in young adults. And according to a 2022 study in the journal PLoS One, spending an hour regularly in the garden has been found to improve mood and reduce stress in healthy women.

Stefan Bucur, of Lewisville, Texas, says he and his wife, Maegan, often talk about their works. "Taking care of and interacting with plants can be a mindful and relaxing practice, and talking to them enhances that experience," says Bucur, founder and owner of Rhythm of the Home, a home improvement website. "Plus, talking to plants can help us cultivate gratitude and appreciation."

Although there is no published research on whether talking to plants is therapeutic for humans, experts say there are compelling reasons. On the one hand, we can take it for granted. "As humans, we often talk about what's important to us, it's internalized," says Patricia Hasbach, psychotherapist at Northwest EcoTherapy in Eugene, Oregon, and author of Grounded: A Guided Journal to Help You Reconnect With Tea. The power of nature - and yourself . "It helps us to be very present or attentive."

On the other hand, it can be a way to express thoughts and feelings out loud in order to understand them. "I think talking to plants is a way of talking to yourself," says Kenneth R. Yeager, social worker and director of the Trauma and Stress Resilience Program at Ohio State University. "When we talk to our factories, we're talking to ourselves and formalizing our thought process." In other words, talking to the flora in your home can be a way to connect with how you're talking to yourself (what you're talking about) and how you're thinking about something. "Putting our thoughts and feelings into words is therapeutic," says Frantz.

Talking to your plants is also a low-risk endeavor. "You might not want to do it in front of someone else," says Elizabeth Diehl, director of therapeutic horticulture at the University of Florida's Wilmot Botanical Gardens College of Medicine. However, when you talk to your plants, they are literally a captive audience. "Plants don't judge," says Diehl. "You can be what you want and say what you want and they're happy to take care of them."

Stacey Colino is a health and psychology writer. Follow her on Twitter at @ColinoStacey .