Q for You: Do you talk to plants?

I’m still buzzing (har har) at the news of this term — vibroacoustics — for the evolving science around plants that respond in various ways to the sound of a friend or a foe. It came via Rebecca McMackin, referenced in my last link list, in the context of a new study showing that snapdragons increased or decreased the sugar in their nectar upon hearing a good pollinator or nectar thief approaching. (The terms “nectar thief” and “pink noise” are also newfound gems for me from this story.) In years past, whenever anyone talked about the perceived benefit to plants of being spoken to by humans, as I recall, the assumption was that it was a matter of them picking up the CO2 we’re putting down — and I took that as more than enough cover for a perfectly natural tendency to talk to my plants. But with multiple research projects having lately established that plants can hear, emit sounds themselves, and respond to what they hear, that trees communicate with each other and even assist one another, doesn’t it stand to reason that they can sense us, too? Whether our voices or just our ... vibes.

Not that I need any scientific proof of anything to feel ok about talking to plants, honestly. Talking isn’t even all I do. If you were to witness me out watering and checking in on everyone some morning, you’d find me laying a hand gently on a tree trunk, giving a quick pat to a fluffy old boxwood, telling this plant and that shrub (please don’t tell them I say it to more than one of them) that they’re the belle of the ball, the star of the season. I don’t believe plants are conscious in an anthropomorphic way, but they are living creatures. And what living creature doesn’t appreciate an encouraging word or kind touch? What could it possibly hurt?

So that’s my second Q for You (although I’m still waiting for anyone to weigh in on the first!) — Do you talk to your plants?