How Does Loud Music Affect Plants?

Do Plants Hear?

• Plants do not have sensory organs. According to Washington State University, Clark County Extension, the only way sound affects plants is through vibration that physically moves the plant. The Extension goes on to state you would need at least 130 decibels of sound near the plants, similar to that of a rock concert or jet plane engine, to have any effect on plants.

Auditory Stimulation

• Research proves that vibrations do affect the way plants grow. The Pennsylvania State University’s Research Center states that plant seeds respond to sound at decibels of 92 or higher. Additionally, 70 decibels of softly playing music positively affects a gene in plants responsible for its reaction to light, which in turn affects the plant's ability to thrive.

The Science

• In her book detailing an undergraduate experiment in plant physiology, "The Sound of Music and Plants," Dorothy L. Retallack states that different types of music affect plant growth. According to her experiment, plants exposed to loud rock music actually moved away from the sound. However, Linda Chalker-Scott, Extension Horticulturist and Professor with the University of Washington, questions the scientific proof, due to a lack of any peer review of the experiment. She goes on to caution against blindly believing theories, such as those in Mr. Retallack’s book, that have no scientific basis.

Carbon Dioxide Effect

• One theory is that the carbon dioxide you expel when you talk in a soft, soothing dialogue helps plants grow. It is true that you release carbon dioxide when you speak, and plants need carbon dioxide to facilitate photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process in which plants take carbon dioxide and sunlight and transform them into sugar, or food to grow. According to Rich Marini of Penn State’s Horticulture Department, to produce enough carbon dioxide to affect plant growth, you would need to stand directly over the plant for several hours every day speaking to it.