Talking to Our Houseplants: Madness or Mindfulness?

I know.

It sounds crazy.

The mere mention of anyone actually talking to their houseplants sounds a little woo-woo.

But it might not be as crazy as it sounds.

Scientific studies are showing how this activity can result in mood enhancement for humans, talking to and having positive results enhancing how your plants thrive.

Here’s how to have fun with this trending habit, and how to get the most benefit out of it for both you and your beloved houseplants.

Can Plants Actually Respond to Music?

An elderly Asian woman begins playing a record on a turntable surrounded by an abundance of plants. — ^{_{Studies show that plants respond to the vibrations of music.}}

You may have heard about plants responding to music.

This actually has been proven in studies.

John Stephens of totalgardener.com crafted an interesting synopsis about various reactions of houseplants to different types and lengths of music. The comparisons showed that some plants responded well to one type of music versus others.

If that’s the case, then why wouldn’t plants respond to our voice?

Music is a vibration.

And so is our voice.

So why not?

It Seems Houseplants Do Respond to Our Voices

A hand waters a houseplant in a terracotta pot. Above the plant, a smiling face in black signifies its happiness. — ^{_{Talking to our plants can be more of a benefit to them than we thought.}}

Backed by scientific studies, Gardenuity’s blog, “The Sage,” offers compelling results base on a study by The Royal Horticulture Society proving that science just may be backing the theory of the human voice affecting plants.

The article goes on to explain, “A study by the Royal Horticultural Society in the UK found that plants exposed to human voices grew taller than those in silence. It didn’t seem to matter much whether the voices were male or female, though some plants did prefer female tones.”

Scientists found that the vibrations from sound waves could stimulate the movement of water and nutrients through the plant, aiding in growth. So, while your houseplant may not be listening with ears like another person listens when you speak to them, there could very possibly be positive effects occurring in that plant from the sound of your voice.

Is There a Human Benefit of Talking to Our Plants?

A woman with dark hair is observed engaging in conversation with a room full of houseplants, a smile gracing her face as she speaks with them. — _{^{We can benefit from talking to our houseplants just as they do out talking to them.}}

Talking to your houseplants not only assist them in growth and stimulation, but research has shown that action of conversing with plants can affect humans in positive ways too.

Numerous studies by the National Center for Biotechnology Information show that interacting with plants can improve your mental health. Having plants surrounding you aids in lowering stress levels, enhancing your general mood, and improving a sense of well-being.

Being mindful of how you feel when talking to your plants, engaging with their health by providing them food and water, and appreciating them for their beauty and uniqueness can be very therapeutic for our mental health.

If you live alone, or others are not around you for long periods of time, conversing with your plants can also help with feelings of loneliness you might experience in those solo periods of time.

Why Plants Are Perfect Listeners

A man in his sixties engages in a lively conversation with a tall, budding houseplant, gesturing with his hands and wearing a joyful smile on his face. — _{^{Talking to plants can be a benefit to our health we never imagined.}}

Another plus of talking to your houseplants is that they never talk back in a snarky tone, they never interrupt or judge what you say to them, and they’ll never leave you still conversing with them while they hurriedly try to get somewhere they need to be.

Dare we say unconditional love?

Being Mindful with Nature

I’ve talked numerous times about how being in nature can enhance the practice of mindfulness.

We get so caught up in daily checklists, appointments, our jobs, and our overall stress of trying to find time for ourselves in a hectic world.

But connecting with nature doesn’t always have to be while taking a walk in the forest or sitting beside a gentle stream in the woods to reflect.

It can be enjoyed while talking and caring for our houseplants too.

Focusing on plants and our presence when around them, forgetting about all of the technology that surrounds us in our daily lives, and detaching from our stressors to just have a cup of tea or coffee while we care for and converse with our plants is another method of being mindful and connecting with nature.

Let’s Get Quirky

A sizable planter, colored in warm terra cotta, cradles a vibrant green succulent. Draped over the planter's edge is a pewter chain, from which a nametag dangles. Positioned before a window, it basks in the streaming sunlight. — _{^{Having fun with our houseplants can be not only fun, but therapeutic as well.}}

I admit, I have been guilty of naming my plants after favorite authors over the years.

There was Pay Conroy, a flourishing Boston Fern.

Also, James Patterson, a deep violet orchid.

And I have to mention J.K. Rowling, my towering Peace Lily.

(I actually made little pewter nametags that I hung around their planters!)

My point is that you can have fun with this.

Don’t feel judged. Just have fun doing it.

A Conclusive Take on Talking to Your Houseplants

Whether talking to your plants, or playing a little smooth jazz for them, do something that will get you out of your own head so you can remember to be mindful while caring for your green-leafed companions.

Not only is it healthy and positive for them, but it can help reduce the stress and strain on your mental and emotional health by doing so.

This article has discussed some ways to help understand the health benefits of talking to our beloved houseplant. Not everybody does it, but those of us that do…well, we get it!

At any rate, even if you don’t verbalize with your indoor plants, you can always still enjoy the visual aspects of its shape, size, color, and even just the way that it grows.

MY MINDFUL REQUEST:

Let’s share houseplant photos! Send me your favorite houseplant photos and we can swap stories about how they make us feel and how we practice mindfulness when we communicate with them – either verbally or not!