Spring Is Here and I Am So Excited I Wet My Plants!
Spring is finally here and I am now seeing the signs that truly tell me that it is upon us. Crocuses have finally appeared and Daffodils are up a few inches. Still not a lot of signs that buds are developing on my bushes and Hedges but I imagine that won’t be long in coming. Many small birds are setting up nests in my hedges but I don’t see much action in all the bird houses I have placed around the yard. I’ll have to do some research into the proper placement of these homes and see if I can do some corrections if needed in time to tempt some interest.
I have noticed lately that there has been a lot of discussion on Virtual Intelligence. It seems to be in use in a lot of ways and yet I find that the world is reacting in a way that shows little or no intelligence at all. I really don’t understand the concept other than It would be nice if one could have a little on hand so that on off days it could be sprinkled around to enhance one’s capability or maybe sprinkled around big time in areas where people have seemingly lost all forms of intelligence entirely. I wonder if they have developed Virtual Common Sense, that would be really good too. There was a news article on the use of music in operating rooms that stated that Doctors are using music to enhance surgical expedience and they are using Virtual Intelligence to change the lyrics to use words and phrases that are more applicable to their cause. I can remember listening in to music being played in an operating theatre in Thailand and they were playing Tie A Yellow Ribbon Around The Old Oak Tree. No accounting for taste I guess.
Much scientific research from scientist all over the world has been put into the use of music on plants and although more research is suggested there is a correlation to the use of music and the benefits. It has been found that Classical, Jazz and other such music has great benefits to the germination, root development, frost tolerance, taste, and the plants resistance to pests like Spider Mites, Aphids. It can also enhance flavour, promote earlier blooming and harvest times by several weeks. Music can also increase resistance in plants to some molds and blights and even viral diseases especially in Tomato Plants. Research into Country and Western music states that most plants are indifferent to this genre and that Heavy Metal and Rap actually can do harm to plants stating that it may be too intense and is over stimulating the plant cells. Now it’s not that plants can actually hear music. It is believed that the vibration and sound waves are the cause of the plants reaction. This music should not be on a continuous basis as plants need rest as well. It is suggested that appropriate music should be used for 30 min. Before applying a foliar fertilizer and stopped 2 hours after the application. This is because the vibrations from certain musics cause the Stoma or pores on the plant to open and increase the uptake of the nutrients. In the case of weeds to suitable musical stimulation they will more fully open their Stoma to applications of salt and vinegar to the degree that half of the amount normally used is sufficient. You can actually purchase music that is suitable for plants although I think that should be unnecessary. The recommendations that have been cited as good for plants include Vivaldi, Beethoven, Brass, Mozart and Bach. Plants can also react to harsh language and extreme emotions like anger and pain. They however seem to have no problem with bad language unless of course you are screaming it at them.
Happy Gardening and Happy St. Patricks Day!
Samantha Nason
BS Ranch & Greenhouses
250 547 6567
sam1nason@gmail.com
