Friday, July 9, 2010

Plants and Herbs are like people

DH found a book for me at a local thrift store "The Magic of Herbs in Daily Living" by Richard Lucas, published in 1972. He got it for 25 cents. It is a great little book and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I look forward to buying some of the seeds and nuts and a few other things, after reading about them in this book.

We were not taking herbs for our health in 1972, I didn't even know about them except for using in cooking. I've been interested in them for 25-30 years or so now. We take several for our health and well-being.

Just this morning I read the following and thought it interesting to post for all who are gardeners.

"Over 50 years ago, the late Sir Jaghadish, used highly sensitive and delicate instruments to measure a plant's movements associated with shock, growth, and response to stimuli in general. Results obtained from these and thousands of other tests led Sir Jaghadish to draw the following conclusions:

Plants not only have consciousness, they also have their moods, their whims, their good days and bad. A plant struck a violent blow shakes and quivers in veritable agony. A plant yanked up the the roots experiences a shock comparable to that of a person beaten into insensibility. Each plant has a marked personality, along with racial and family traits.

Plants exhibit the same hopes, the same logic, and undergo the same trials as man, but in a lesser degree.

As every gardener knows, many trees and plants fail to survive after transplanting and die of shock even if their tissues are not injured in any way. Sir Jaghadish performed an interesting experiment in which he administered a chemical that acted as an anesthetic to trees about to be transplanted. He found they stood the relocation very well but some cases showed an apparent loss of memory and general state of upset, exactly as a man or animal would when coming out of stupor.

In recent years serious investigators have repeatedly demonstrated that plants will grow better and healthier when prayed over. In other words, you can pray daily that your potted plant, shrubs, trees, or flowers will grow luxuriously. You can speak to them in a kindly way, saying for example: "I love you, please grow strong and healthy," and they will respond to the energy supplied by your prayers and expressions of love.

Music also has a decided effect on plant growth. Plants subjected to heavy doses (three hours daily) of rock 'n' roll for ten days leaned away from the loud speaker, began to wilt and shrivel, then finally collapsed and died. By contrast, those treated to classical, semi-classical, or soft melodious strains produced healthy foliage and beautiful blossoms, and grew taller than plants subjected to nothing but silence."

**************

I had heard about some of this before, as probably some of you have as well. It doesn't hurt to have our memories jogged by hearing or reading information again.

I wonder how the traffic noises effect my gardens. Hopefully, the front hedgerow creates some sort of barrier and I think it must, because when pulling into our driveway I feel like I'm entering a different world. A somewhat quieter and more peaceful space. It is our haven, our home sweet home.

Now every time I prune, or pull weeds or transplant things I'll wonder how the plants are feeling. :-)

We all, in our personal lives, need pruning, have weeds that need to be pulled, and sometimes have to be transplanted for one reason or another. May we all grow and learn in the circumstances of our lives and in our own gardens.





Zone 10 ~ s.e. FL

18 comments:

F Cameron said...

So, when my husband (aka The Musician) plays "Here Comes the Sun" on his acoustic guitar on the garden patio in the mornings, my plants are listening.

tina said...

I've heard about how plants react to outside stimuli but did not know about the anesthetic. Most interesting and makes one go hmmmmm

Floridagirl said...

Very interesting thoughts, FlowerLady. I've always thought that plants were people too. Makes me want to go out and play soft music in the garden.

Antique ART Garden said...

Hmmm? Don't know about comparing them to an animal or life that has a brain, since that is where our feelings and sensations are processed right ? Not that I disagree with a plant;s system going into shock from outside stimuli or neglect. I had heard the rock music story before.
I really liked the concept of us being transplanted , and it also mad me think of where in the Bible God likes to " cut off our branches so we will bear more fruit " to prune us. love your blog !! Gina

Sandy said...

That's lovely. Yes, may we
all grow and learn in the
garden of our lives.

Gayle said...

Interesting information to ponder. Love the passion flower in the previous post. What a wonderful center.

E. Charlotte said...

What a great post! I have heard some of these things in the past, and I find it fascinating too! Have a great weekend!

Susan said...

Now I'm going to feel twice as bad when I have to trim the plants up or relocate them. I'll be sure to whisper some sweet words to them. :-)

Anonymous said...

Interesting. I always try to treat my plants gently because I am grateful to them for growing. Found the part on memory loss interesting. Can Sir J. talk to plants too?

Jane

NanaK said...

I always talk to my plants but I can be a little negative and demanding. I'll have to sweeten up my words and see if the response is better. Come to think of it, that would be a good thing for me to do with the people in my life too:)

Rainy Day Gardener said...

Great thoughts to ponder :) I do find myself talking to my plants as I water them. Right now my day lilies are blooms and the petals seem so soft and tender, I find myself petting them, coaxing them on. Hopefully they like that sort of thing :)

Rebecca said...

I enjoyed reading and "processing" this information! Sounds like a really interesting book! I have a small collection of gardening books, too, and am reading one from the library right now!

There's always something to be learned -- and not just information, but LESSONS, too :)

Sunita Mohan said...

I loved this post. So very thought-provoking!Though I did smile about the effect of rock 'n roll. I wonder what rap does to them?
And I agree with you about pulling into our own driveway and feeling as if I've found sanctuary! It is such an indescribably lovely feeling :)

jerilanders said...

I ,too, would fall over and die if I had to listen to rock music for 10 straight days! Interesting thoughts. I do talk to my gardens, but then again, I talk to everything, even inanimate objects. Husband thinks I am very weird.
It does give one reason to pause and wonder, why a particular plant or bush thrives and another flops over in despair. Sorta like people I guess!
Fiona II sends her sweet regards and wants you to know she is adjusting beautifully to her new life.

Chloe m said...

Interesting to ponder this. My son really loves the Sensitive plant and thinks it really has a personality.

vetys said...

I read and heard about talking to and singing to plants.

The others are new to me... Very interesting post"

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

Good morning Friends ~ Glad this article was interesting and even humorous to you.

Cameron ~ I'm sure the plants enjoy that song, it's one of my favorites.

Tina ~ I hadn't heard about the anesthetic either. :-)

FG ~ I'm sure some soft music in my gardens would help soothe the plants traffic noise battered beings.

Gina ~ God's whole creation is waiting in earnest expectation for the manifestation of the sons of God. I believe a part of God is in every thing he has created.

Sandy ~ Growing and learning everyday is good for us.

Gayle ~ I love the centers of passion flowers too. I need to get another picture of the really beautiful passion flowers that we have.

E.Charlotte ~ Thanks. Did have a nice weekend.

Susan ~ Whispering sweet words can't hurt. :-)

Jane ~ I bet Sir J did talk to his plants.

NanaK ~ Yes, talking sweeter to people in our lives would help too. That's harder to do than talking to plants though.

Jenni ~ I saw your daylilies and they are beautiful. You are doing the right things with them.

Rebecca ~ I agree about learning lessons. It seems like in almost any book one picks up to read, there's not only info but lessons to live by in them.

Sunita ~ I think plants would shriek and shrivel from some of the rap that's out there these days. Glad you have a lovely 'sanctuary' for you to come home to also.

Jerri ~ Too much of anything would make us cringe or be sick after awhile. Like you, I talk to plants, and critters and probably some inanimate objects as well. I am really happy about Fiona II.

Rosey ~ Those sensitive plants are neat.

Vetys ~ Some of this info was new to me too.

Thanks again everyone for all of your kind comments.

FlowerLady

Sharon Lovejoy said...

This is a dear, dear post that has really touched me.

Yes, I do remember reading studies, but you're right, it never hurts to refresh ourselves.

I too live in a very busy and loud area (at my home in California), but it is a separate reality when I enter the gates and see the LIFE everywhere. I wander the paths, talk to my plants, lovingly touch them, and I feel them respond.

Loved this so much,

Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island