Don't touch your plants

Blue Onion

Fell down a bit of a rabbit hole tonight.. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/tpj.14183
General gist of the research basically seems to prove that touching your plants stresses them out, causing mutations in the plant cells as a response and causing a reduction in plant growth.
I have always brushed my seedlings with a gentle hand to 'harden' them up for outside life, but in reality I've been stressing them out and setting back their growth?  

What about my house plants I 'pet' as I water them or give them a bit of attention?  They repulse at my touch like a beaten animal?  They send chemical distress signals out to their neighbor plants warning them?  

Does anyone else know about this?

pansyface

I do know that some trees don’t like their crowns to touch other trees.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_shyness

B3

I can think of a few rampant specimens that I will be touching up😉

sarinka

B3 said:

I can think of a few rampant specimens that I will be touching up😉

I had the same thought... only my worst weed now is probably nettles 

josusa47

Excuse me while I go out and subject the bindweed to some heavy petting. I always had my doubts about the benefits of talking to plants, which was all the rage a few years ago.  (OK, a lot of years ago.)  If one follows that theory to it's logical conclusion, it ought to be possible to maintain a weed-free garden simply by hurling abuse.

B3

Aphid fondling doesn't seem to have a detrimental effect on my plants. I wouldn't want them to grow much faster anyway.

Allotment Boy

I've been cursing bindweed, thistle & docks for years no result yet, perhaps the noise of the trains on the Northern line near my Allotment made them hard of hearing. 

bertrand-mabel

I remember years ago reading about a huge nursery that found touching the young seedlings made them grow better than not being touched.

josusa47

philippasmith2 said:

josusa47 said:

  If one follows that theory to it's logical conclusion, it ought to be possible to maintain a weed-free garden simply by hurling abuse.

   I have to say it hasn't worked for me so far despite my best efforts - perhaps I need to expand my vocabulary .

Then the neighbours might complain.

leelkata

I don't think it's true. We have to somehow pinch off/cut off dead bits, investigate any disease or bugs/insects to make sure our plants will stay happy and healthy and what we are using: our hands. Most plants will thank you for care. 😊

Busy-Lizzie

On gardening programmes, like GW, the presenters often touch and stroke their plants. They have also said that plants like it.