How does the type of music affect plants growth? – Thomas, 14, Auckland, New Zealand

How does the type of music affect plants growth? – Thomas, 14, Auckland, New Zealand

When I’m in the lab studying my plants, I love to listen to music. But do my plants like it too, or do they just want some peace and quiet?

It turns out plant lovers have wondered the same thing for nearly 70 years. And there are many albums and playlists for people to play to their plants. One of the most famous (and my favourite) is Mother Earth’s Plantasia. It was released in 1976 – “for plants and the people who love them”.

Some people may think it’s nice to listen to music with their plants. But is there any truth to the idea that certain music boosts plant growth?

Let’s dive into the science.

Where did this idea come from?

One of the most well known studies on music and plants was published by author Dorothy Retallack in 1973. It was a book called The Sound of Music and Plants.

Retallack did several experiments playing music to plants. She reported that rock music made her study plants die, while classical music made them flourish.

However, she was actually a music........

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