Plants Finally Meet the Wave of the Future

They're talking to you...Are you listening?

In the latest Orion Magazine, Erica Wetter wrote an article entitled “When Plants Tweet” profiling the new Botanicalls communication system created by researchers at New York University. Plants are literally able to tweet their distress to neglectful (or overenthusiastic) owners. Two metals rods are inserted into the plant’s soil and are connected to ethernet cables. The rods measure the soil’s conductivity for moisture content and the device attached sends a message to the owner by way of Twitter. The researchers even tailored each message to personify the plant. For example, an aggressive- looking plant sends its owner an aggressive message when it is not being watered enough. If the owner ignores the plants, the messages get angrier.

As cool as this is, I have to say… what about our natural instincts? Growing our own food separated the human beings today from the predators in the cave. We had to pay attention to our plants and the environment around it in order to protect our own livelihood. Gardening reminds us of our need to live in balance with the earth. Even a potted plant on the windowsill forces us to remember our own need for water, sun and earth.

Now your plant will send you an email when it needs attention, further isolating us from our own world.

But I will try to think of this in a positive light. Many of my friends have caught on to the gardening craze. Everyone is starting to grow their own vegetables and do whatever they can to feed themselves without taking a trip to the grocery store. But I have a few friends that lag behind the trend, not because they don’t care but simply because they have never cared for a plant before and just are not sure of the way to do it. As I mentioned before, they have the dreaded black thumb…some of them even have black holes for thumbs. They want so badly for something to grow that it is easy to become discouraged when everything continues to die.

But I’ll tell you a little secret – I once had a black thumb. And it rivaled almost all the bad thumbs in the gardening world. Everything I touched turned to dust on a compost heap. There was nothing I could grow. But I kept at it, mostly because I was afraid to admit to the Master Gardener named “Grannie” that I had not inherited her unique skill. I persevered and now my garden looks beautiful. I learned how to communicate with my plants through the look of their leaves and the feel of their soil.

However, Botanicalls could be used as a training system for those who are particularly horticulturally challenged and could save you money on failed attempts. When your plant sends you a tweet, look at more then just the glass of water you’re about to give it. Look at its leaves, pay attention to the way it stands, look at the color and feel the soil. With every tweet you receive, you will begin to realize what characteristics indicate a healthy plant and what does not. Soon you will no longer need the device – you will simply know whats on your plant’s mind.

But keep in mind that working with the earth to grow a living thing is an essential part of our human nature. Please, don’t lets reduce it to email.

Photo by: James Jordan (Flickr.com)

– Lisa Kilian