Pop is crowned ‘top of the crops’
Could music spark a growth spurt in your plants?
Anyone who’s ever found themselves bopping about in the garden knows the joy that music can bring to the labour of love. There’s perhaps no swifter route to a happy place than pumping out the tunes while getting down with a spot of pruning.
Most UK gardeners (81 per cent) play music while tending their plants, according to a new survey.
And almost two-thirds play music TO their plants - with pop being their genre of choice, followed by chill-out and classical.
The research by music licensing company, PPL PRS, quizzed 1,000 people in the UK who are interested in gardening and/ or a houseplant owner.
Most struggled to grow houseplants depending on the species and time of year, but playing music could help.
“Using sound to stimulate growth is an entirely natural phenomenon,” said Michael Perry (AKA ‘Mr Plant Geek’), gardening expert at PPL PRS.
“To that end – and as strange as it might seem – research suggests that plants enjoy music. With houseplants, a good beat can mimic the natural vibrations they would experience outside.
"Jazz and classical music are the best genres of music to stimulate plant growth – despite more respondents playing pop and chill-out music, so pivoting to more traditional genres could benefit their plants.
“Plants in the great outdoors will benefit from the bees that are drawn to high-frequency sounds in music – these powerful pollinators play a pivotal role in plant reproduction as they pass pollen from one flower to another.”
Not all plants are created equal, though, and different species like certain genres, volumes and time exposed.
For example, roses relish classical music while chrysanthemums thrive after just 30 minutes of play.
“Music has a profound effect on the brain, providing a boost to our mental well-being, our mood and our motivation," said Marianne Rizkallah, music therapist expert at PPL PRS.
"It can even help to alleviate symptoms of more serious mental health conditions like stress and anxiety.
"Plants, like people, have different tastes in music too, with some genres providing better stimulation for growth. After all, we’re not too different as natural beings. Considering the similarly positive effect that being among nature can have, it’s no surprise that so many of us credit listening to music in the garden with feelings of calm and happiness.”