Do plants like music? You Had Me At Gardening has conducted an experiment on how classical & rock music affects plant growth and created the below infographic on the results. Information on the research methodology is available here.
It’s generally well-accepted that music affects plant growth and health and we also know why:
- Certain sound frequencies stimulate the movement of cytoplasm in the plants’ cells, which boosts metabolism and, therefore, growth.
- Sound also influences the opening and closing of stomata – the tiny pores that act like primitive lungs on plants. Music helps a stoma stay open for longer, thus taking in more air and growing faster.
- Some sound frequencies activate genes that speed up plant growth.
Further research on the type of music for plants and sound frequency concluded to the following results:
- Classical music made plants grow better, bushier, and greener, with healthier stems.
- Jazz music also accelerated growth and made plants fuller.
- Heavy metal music, together with new age and Celtic tunes increase both plant mass AND fruit taste.
- Country and western music for plants had no effects on development.
- Noisy rock music damages plants in the same way excess water or heavy winds do.