It is believed that growing certain plants in close proximity to others may help deter pests, promote growth and even improve flavor—or on the opposite end of the spectrum, certain plants, when planted close to one another, may actually stunt each other's growth.
Generally, houseplants should not touch each other. Science has discovered they can feel touch, so if touched by another plant it can cause a genetic defense response that reduces growth. Alongside this, houseplants that touch could become more easily infested with pests.
Planting different types of plants close to each other can boost growth, repel pests, and even improve the flavor of your harvest. In addition to the benefits to your plants, companion planting uses your garden space more efficiently, allowing you to harvest more varieties in a given space.
Apart from looking great, one reason is because plants release moisture into the air around them. When grouped together, they create a mini micro-climate of boosted humidity, which almost all houseplants, especially tropical ones, love.
Your plants really dislike when you touch them, apparently. A new study out of the La Trobe Institute for Agriculture and Food has found that most plants are extremely sensitive to touch, and even a light touch can significantly stunt their growth, reports Phys.org.
It's True—You Really Should Talk to Your Plants. In a study performed by the Royal Horticultural Society, researchers discovered that talking to your plants really can help them grow faster. 1 They also found that plants grow faster to the sound of a female voice than to the sound of a male voice.
Plants, like most of nature, are usually only acting in their own interests. Keeping another tree alive via underground fungal networks, as trees do, benefits the plant, as a forest is more likely to survive than a tree on its own. Give a potted plant what it wants and it probably won't get too lonely!
Plants in a crowd compete for more than light; they are also jostling for space, nutrients and moisture. If they are overcrowded, they will be inherently weaker but also stretch more, and the result is something lofty but feeble.
And since plants do not have brains, nor a central nervous system (which is how intelligence is defined), it is said to be impossible for them to have emotions and the ability to reason or feel.
It is always a good idea to give them a good shake from time to time," Richard said. But if you don't want to run the risk of doing a bit too rough of a shake, you could always just pop a fan in front of your plants and let that act as a bit of indoor wind.
They can also sense matter from the above ground parts of the plant that have been washed down by the rain into the ground. Above ground plants smell each other. If plants smell ethylene they know other plants are nearby.
Plants that grow too close to each other compete for the same sunlight, water and soil nutrients. The first effect seen is competition for light. Overcrowded plants begin to grow upward to receive light, rather than developing a fuller, bushier silhouette.
Just like with people, a plant might react differently to being touched. You can determine which plant won't mind a bit of cuddling based on their nature and where they typically grow. Indoor plants with broad leaves, such as Monsteras, Alocasias, and Pothos, enjoy occasional wiping.
Mistake #5: moving your plant all the time.
Some changes can be disruptive to the plant's balance, such as re-potting, changing room etc. Too much moving-your-plant-around is no good. If your plant shows no sign of dissatisfaction, the best thing to do is probably not to do anything.
Overcrowded plants compete for nutrients and water. Restricted airflow can lead to diseases. Dividing the plants into smaller sections reduces this competition and stimulates new growth as well as more vigorous blooming.
“But some research shows that speaking nicely to plants will support their growth, whereas yelling at them won't. Rather than the meaning of words, however, this may have more to do with vibrations and volume. Plants react favourably to low levels of vibrations, around 115-250hz being ideal.”
Plants respond to the vibrations of nearby sound which turns on two key genes inside of them that influence their growth. Plants also increase photosynthesis production in response to carbon dioxide, which is a by-product of human speech.
A Plant in the bedroom can absorb harmful gases through the pores in their leaves, filtering and cleaning the air you breathe every day. Not only do bedroom plants have many health benefits, but they also add a nice touch of decor and bright energy to any indoor space.
Although plants do not sleep in the same way that humans do, they do have more and less active times and they have circadian rhythms—internal clocks that tell them when it is night and when it is day. And like many people, plants are less active at night. When the Sun comes up, however, they awake to the day.
Don't Waste Your Emotions on Plants, They Have No Feelings, Grumpy Scientists Say. A tree falls in the woods; but whether or not anyone hears it, the tree has no regrets. Nor does it experience fear, anger, relief or sadness as it topples to the ground.
"Although people generally assume plants don't feel when they are being touched, this shows that they are actually very sensitive to it," said lead researcher Olivier Van Aken from the University of Western Australia.
We have yet to scientifically verify that that plants have feelings. However, we do know that they can pick up on energies and sense.