Do you know that plants have a 'mind'. Not like ours but they can feel, think, have memory, so forth. I saw this documentary and just want to share it. It may be a little off topic but it says a lot about our plants. Also seed started compared to stem started. That part about the edge of the root seeking out instead of just growing. Watch and let me know what you think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Stush

Halfway through & breaktime is over for now. Fascinating!

So far, it gave me ideas about IPM. Could one cause a sacrificial plant (or row) to chemically alert other plants to mount chemical defenses against a pest attack? I think this should be researched in regard to common crop plants. Are any of them able to engage in chemical warfare like Acacia trees?

I saw a study on television where this lady touched a mimosa who's leaves would curl up (natural reaction). She then gave it some gas that they give you when you go to sleep. She proceeded to touch it again and it didn't react at all. It went to sleep!

Planto

When plants are attacked, I think they do emit an odor that maybe only an insect that eats those bugs can detect and come to feast on them. That would explain how ladybugs know where to fly to.
I know maple trees increase their tannin when caterpillars eat them.
Looking at the other U-Tube vidoes that come up after watching it. You could spend two days watching this stuff.

Seriously, lol. I looked at that youtube video you posted and it was almost an hour long. I saw a related video that was the same length. That is interesting about maples, I didn't know that.

Planto

I found out about the maples when the tent worms were ravishing Pennsylvania many years ago. Two years they ate the leaves off then the third year they died or was repelled

Interesting, it sounds like your maple did develop a defense mechanism. Now that you say that, I remember seeing one of my parent's trees covered in tent caterpillars one year, only to not see them on that tree again the next year. Makes me wonder if it too developed some form of defense.

Planto

I have heard of an experiment that they did at an university. One group screamed and yelled at a plant all the time they came near it. Another group said soft voice words at another identical plant. In 6 months time the one plant that was yelled at died while the other thrived. I have no way to back up that story except I heard it on TV many years ago.
I do believe that some people have a 'green thumb'. I think the plants know they are safe and accept their touching. Sounds weird but I have seen people graft trees and ever one took and thrived while I could never have success. Also my neighbor could cut and plant anything and it grew. He had flowers and plants all over his house from ever where he visited. So who knows?
Stush

Stush,
Hubby says they did an experiment on Mythbusters about plants. They played loud metal rock music to some and classical to others. They also had another study where they insulted some and were nice to others. The ones that listened to the loud rock music and the ones that were insulted, didn't grow as well. That's interesting about feeling like plants know when they're "safe." I think animals do the same, some know when to approach a person and when to keep walking.

Although, one thing that will always confuse me is my MIL's plants. They thrive in the poorest of conditions. If I treated them the same way, they'd die in a heartbeat.

Planto

That's the reason I love Cactus and Succulents and mostly my Sansevieria. The more I forget about them, the greater they grow. I kill with love. Also some plants die with one mistake. Forget to water seedlings and you got to start all over again. One misshape is all it takes. I like the plants that can take a misshape or two.

The music/yelling thing is discussed in the 1st half of the linked video, which I hope to finish watching soon. Definitely more interesting than watching the same thing on TV a 3rd or 5th time.