How are plants like us?
Plants are living beings. Like us they eat, drink and breathe and are influenced by both nature and nurture. Unlike us, they can’t move around and choose their surroundings. Knowing more about how they ‘work’ will help you look after your plants and ensure they thrive in your garden. They provide us with the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the materials we use for shelter and clothing. Here are some key reasons why plants are essential: Oxygen: Through the process of photosynthesis, plants release oxygen into the atmosphere, supporting the respiration of all living organisms, including humans.Through photosynthesis, plants provide the planet with food, oxygen, and energy. In addition, they are used to produce fiber, medicines, building materials, and natural products such as oils and latex. Plants are essential to human diets and enliven and sustain the environment.People often say you have to feed your plants, but in reality plants make their own food through the process of photosynthesis, which yields oxygen and glucose. Glucose is the food that plants use for energy and growth, they don’t need us to actually feed them.Just as humans need a good balance of nutrients to survive, so do plants. Plants absorb nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium through the soil they live in so it’s important that you choose the right soil and supplement their feeding during growing seasons with fertilizer.Plants need to breathe for the same reason people and animals must breathe – they need oxygen to convert food into energy. The relationship between air and indoor plants is crucial to keeping your plants looking their best.
How do plants feel?
Plants sense the world including sensing light, touch, chemicals, microbes, animals and temperature, in unique ways that are often invisible to us. Plants need some period of darkness to develop properly; so do not expose them to more than 16 hours of light. Artificial lighting can improve the quality of light the plant receives. Red, far-red and blue wavelengths are most important for plant development.Horticulture lighting primarily focuses on red and blue wavelengths. These are the two most important colors on the visible light spectrum for promoting plant growth. That is why products on the horticulture lighting market often give off a purple glow—it is from the combination of red and blue light.Although plants are a bit color blind, they do sense colors, more appropriately energy levels, that are entirely invisible to us humans. For example, plants can perceive far-red light. Plants often utilize the red to far-red relationship. A seed uses this relationship to determine whether to germinate or not.
Why do we like plants?
Plants Can Reduce Anxiety and Stress Access to plants has also been shown to reduce blood pressure, which is often used as a physiological measure of stress. Bringing indoor plants into your home can provide a dose of these anxiety- and stress-reducing benefits. Some studies done in a hospital showed exposure to live plants, and even simply posters of plants resulted in lowered stress levels. Similarly, an elementary classroom with green walls simulating nature and the outdoors facilitated higher test scores and increased levels of attention.Although these beliefs have no scientific basis, it is proven that there are plants that purify the environment and have a positive impact on productivity, in addition to reducing anxiety and stress; So it’s no surprise that they have an effect on the vibe of the home.It’s true – many plants have secret superpowers that are said to help you sleep, relieve stress and even purify the air from harmful pollutants. So we’re sharing some of our most loved bedroom plants, so that you can start creating your green oasis.
What plants have feelings?
Sensitive plants, such as Mimosa pudica, have leaves that fold inwards when touched to protect themselves. Another fantastic example is the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), which immediately snaps shut (as anyone who has touched one will know). Touch is not exclusive to humans and animals. Plants also sense and respond to touch. For instance, the shameplant Mimosa pudica folds its leaves when touched, the carnivorous Venus flytrap snaps its leaves shut upon feeling its prey, and the tendrils of climbing plants curl around as soon as they feel support.Plants sense light, touch, chemicals, microbes, animals, and temperature uniquely. Quite unlike humans, they do not form images or perceive depth.Plants may not have feelings but they are indeed alive and have been described as sentient life forms that have “tropic” and “nastic” responses to stimuli. Plants can sense water, light, and gravity — they can even defend themselves and send signals to other plants to warn that danger is here, or near.With animals, reactions are similar. However, plants cannot usually lean in or away from touch, whether they like it or not. Generally, live plants perceive touch in varied manners. Different types of plants sense touch differently and react in different ways.These findings suggest that plants can register subtle changes in their surroundings, potentially including human presence. However, this does not imply that plants recognise individual people or “know” their owners.
What do plants like to eat?
Plants use the energy of the sun to change water and carbon dioxide into a sugar called glucose. Glucose is used by plants for energy and to make other substances like cellulose and starch. Cellulose is used in building cell walls. Starch is stored in seeds and other plant parts as a food source. In daylight, plants are both respiring and photosynthesising, so oxygen and carbon dioxide are diffusing in and out of the leaves. But overnight, without sunlight, photosynthesis stops and stomata close. With just respiration taking place, only oxygen diffuses into the leaves and only carbon dioxide diffuses out.This process is called photosynthesis. They capture the energy from the sun and use it to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates (sugars). Plants then use the carbohydrates to grow. Plants (and a few other lifeforms) release oxygen during photosynthesis.Contrary to popular belief, most plants actually don’t release oxygen at night! Instead, they go through cellular respiration, absorbing oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. However, there are a few exceptions, such as the snake plant and aloe vera plant that release oxygen throughout the night.