Do you have a green thumb, or
aspirations to such? Do you ever get
that sense that you relate better to something inanimate than to Billy Bob,
your neighbour (this may depend a bit on who/what Billy Bob is, as well as the size of his truck)? Or on the flip side, do you find the mysteries
of the Plant Kingdoms beyond you? Never
fear. Whether the world of
photosynthetically-active green “people” calls or repels you, there is
hope. The two sides aren’t that
different, at all.
Most of us humans have a
reasonable understanding about what we need to live and thrive. Plants are very much the same. Meet the basic needs and you are good to
go. As a horticulturist, I am strongly
inclined to explain things in terms of what plants do and how they act and
react, sliding dangerously across the line that divides plant appreciation and the
feeling that plants are live and interactive.
Regardless, please allow me
to outline how plants and humans aren’t all that different. For the plant-lovers, you’ll recognize the
truth and maybe appreciate humans a bit more.
For those that don’t “get” plants, maybe you’ll gain a better appreciation
and understanding about what makes those plants tick. A few more plants will live and we’ll be the
better for it.
Basic Needs:
In Mosby’s Medical Dictionary
(8th Edition – 2009), it defines the basic needs of humans as “the elements required for survival and
normal mental and physical health, such as food, water, shelter, protection
from environmental threats, and love.”
Without these things, humans can’t survive. Indeed, in times of crisis, we work hard to
restore a supply of the basics, before trying to get things entirely back to
normal.
True to form, plants are really
no different. Plants need sunlight, air,
water, nourishment, adequate temperatures and freedom from pests. Let’s delve into each, since we want to learn
more about how plants and humans are similar.
Light:
The fundamental function of
plants is to capture and harness the energy the sun’s rays, converting it into
products such as sugars, through processes that take in carbon dioxide (CO2),
water (H2O) and other elements and releasing oxygen (O2). Without light, plants can’t capture the
energy they need, create the food they (and others in the food chain) need and
we start running a bit low on oxygen.
In the absence of light, or
when light gets low, plants tend to be light-coloured or pale, even
whitish. Growth is weak, plants become
stretched and spindly. Over time, they diminish
and eventually fall prey to illness or just die from starvation (essentially).
Now, the non-plant people may
be thinking, “We aren’t plants. We don’t
need sunlight to survive. Why bother to
even bring it up?” You are partly
correct. However, I think that a good argument
can be made that we do need sunlight to be healthy AND happy. When we don’t get enough sunlight (and we
need the sun to get Vitamin D – other than through supplements), we aren’t
healthy. Picture that weird cousin (you
know the one) that never leaves the basement or house. We become pale and anemic, pasty and weird
(debatable).
The medical community now
recognizes a disorder known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which results
in lack of energy, fatigue and depression, with typically “normal” activity in
summertime. SAD is also known as winter
sickness, seasonal depression, winter blues, etc. The basic treatment for SAD is simple: Sunlight.
People and plants that get
too much sun have a similar reaction.
They experience tissue damage and don’t function properly for some time
(remember how much it hurts to move with a lobster-esque sunburn).
Air:
We all need air to
breathe. Specifically, humans need
oxygen. Plants need air, specifically CO2. At higher levels of CO2, plants really
thrive, because they become more efficient.
In conditions without any oxygen (anaerobic), both humans and plants don’t
thrive. They die. Similarly, both plants and humans do poorly
when air becomes stale and stagnant or polluted. A bit of air movement and replacement of the
air goes a long way to a healthy life for both of us.
Water:
Humans need water to stay
alive. We also use it to wash (ourselves
and other things in our lives) and to stay cool and refreshed. We are hydrated organisms. So are plants. Plants are comprised of up to 90+ per cent
water. Plants need water to maintain
their cellular structure, for their physiological processes and reactions and to
move elements things around within the plant.
Plants need a constant supply of water to stay hydrated and react very
strongly to changes in both the soil moisture content and the relative humidity
of the surrounding air. Plants don’t
sweat but they do make adjustments to ensure that there is fluid moving through
them at the appropriate rate. Plants can
be protected from overheating and from freezing by the application of
water. Water is necessary to wash off
the plant or plant parts, certainly after harvest.
If humans or plants are
exposed to too much or too little water, they don’t do well.
Nourishment:
Whereas plants can produce
their own “food products” from the sun, air and water and mineral elements in
the soil, humans have to consume their nutrients (from plants or other
animals). Regardless, the need for food
or nourishment is consistent between humans and plants. When we think of food or nourishment for
plants, we think more in terms of the supply of mineral elements (such as
nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium). Plants
that are supplied with enough nutrients are healthy and productive, grow at a
good pace and are more resistant to attack from disease or pests.
Undernourished plants are
weak, off-coloured and unproductive and may die. Plants that get too much nutrition become
unhealthy, in that they grow rapidly and weakly, often becoming soft and lush
or tender and often sicken more quickly.
They can produce less fruit (and more leaves) and may “forget” to shut
down for the winter. Most of those
descriptions sound a lot like what happens to over or under-fed humans.
Protection from the elements:
Humans need shelter. This represents a protection from temperature
extremes and other weather elements. Plants
need to be protected from these same things.
Plants (just like people) grow better at different temperatures,
typically not the extreme ones. If it
gets below freezing (or even just colder), humans put on layers of clothing or
go inside their homes. Plants adjust
somewhat, but then will eventually die.
The use of greenhouses, cold frames, or other plant covers (essentially “plant
clothing”) are all that we can do to give plants a break from the colder elements. Shading or misting is necessary to cool off
plants when things heat up.
Space:
Humans need their personal
space (some people forget this) and certainly do not thrive when they are
packed like sardines into any particular space for an extended period of
time. Plants are no different. Whereas the initial affect that many humans
experience is probably more psychological than physical, plant overcrowding
result in direct completion for limited resources. Plants that have (too) close neighbours will
be weakened or may be literally choked out (think of weeds). The stagnant air that can develop will result
in an increase in disease or other issues.
Plants that lack competition
thrive to a certain extent, but also become a bit overgrown and wild. Humans that lack contact with others become a
bit wild or anti-social.
Freedom from pests:
No one likes to be sick,
whether you are human or green. We all
suffer from various ailments and attack from different pests. Humans take medicines. We treat plants with “medicines” to try and
fight off attack. Both species become a little
stronger if we are attacked in limited degrees.
But in general, we need to be free from pests or disease if we are going
to thrive.
Love:
The original definition of
basic human needs included a need for love.
It is interesting, but certainly not all that surprising. We thrive on relationships, or are at least
healthier contributors to society (remember your weird cousin?). Are plants that different in this need for
companionship or relationship? They rely
on us for a supply of nutrients, water and support (physical). We protect them from the elements, from excessive
competition and provide a bit of grooming.
Some might consider it a utilitarian and emotionless relationship, but
anyone that has shed a tear after a frost or a big wind, knows that there is
more to it.
Conclusion:
When you lay it out, it isn’t
hard to see the similarities between humans and our green friends. We both need some basic elements to survive
and to really thrive. The only thing
that is maybe a bit different is that plants need to grow in soil (to supply
structure/support and nutrients and water).
Humans don’t necessarily need dirt between our toes, do they?
