Tuesday, June 23, 2009

An extra 2 inches.

New evidence has recently been published advising us that a woman's voice can stimulate an extra two inches of growth in tomato plants. The research on which this evidence is based was carried out by the Royal Horticultural Society. Last April, the experiments began with auditions for members of the public to record extracts from John Wyndham's 'The Day of the Triffids', Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's dream' and a passage from Charles Darwin's 'Origin of the Species'. Ten voices were chosen and connected to ten tomato plants through headphones connected to their pots. The results showed that plants soothed by the voice of a woman grew an extra two inches.

I would like to add my own limited research to the work of the RHS. For the last two months I have placed a radio, blaring out human voices and music, in the middle of my garden - and left it on every night from around midnight until around eight-o-clock in the morning. The reason has been to discourage deer from entering and inflicting their gratuitous damage. Not only has this unusual strategy worked, but I never recall my plants putting on such growth. You might not consider this to be irrefutable empirical evidence - but I reckon its at least as sound as that of the RHS.

5 comments:

Welshman in America said...

While you potter on about the Prince Charles speaking to plants of the green variety ...

"WATCH out America – the Welsh are invading!" (IcWales)

To Washington, DC to be precise!

Inter alia, Wales made the wings that Americans were plucked from (re: Hudson ditching between NYC and NJ).

Wales ROCKS!

Time to put aside politics because Wales ROCKS!

Reminder: Washington, DC (in fact the greater Washington area) suffered a tragedy yesterday - a Metra train collided with another and several Washingtonians died and many more injured, some very seriously. Ordinary folk going home after a hard day Making America. RIP and all the help and assistance that can be given to the loved ones touched by this awful tragedy.

The Half-Blood Welshman said...

Genius idea Glyn. If only it would deter the rabbits in my garden - but sadly I think my neighbours might object.

Anonymous said...

Which station Glyn ?
Right some advice I have cleared the top of my garden and have quite a good space -I want to grow veggies and some herbs - what would be good and not need a lot of attention.

Anonymous said...

That headline is almost worthy of the Daily Sport!

Should Lembit Opik be worried? are you after his job or something?

Glyn Davies said...

Half blood - Best way to deal with rabbits is to stop growing their favourite meals, I had to give up growing echinaceas, whic are a special favourite.

VM - Radio Cymru. I reckon that deer would not have heard much Welsh in Powis Castle deer park and would be more confused. I'll do a post on veg and herbs atthe weekend.

Anon - Only job of LO's that I fancy is representing Monty in Westminster. But I see what you mean about the headline. It hadn't crossed my mind. I'll be more careful in future.