Getting along with your neighbors is a challenge. On the one hand, they can potentially become good friends; on the other hand, things can get pretty awkward if there’s friction. One unidentified woman we’ll call Jane took to social media to relate her problem with a neighbor. She is explained that she lives in a townhouse complex with paper thin walls. One of her neighbors — “a woman in her late 50s who wears tie dye every day” — insisted that Jane’s WiFi signal was causing her succulents to wilt. Of course, it didn’t help that the woman’s plants were actually in a dark hallway with no natural sunlight. While some on social media took Jane’s side and made comments about the tie dye-wearing woman being a bubble off, the reality is that studies have shown that WiFi routers can affect the germination and growth of several plant species. It reduces root and shoot growth, alters the size of leaves, and may interfere with a plant’s ability to protect itself from mold. Tests done on broccoli and peas showed that WiFi signals significantly reduced their dry weight. In addition, some species’ root growth was inhibited, causing the tops to turn brown. So, if your neighbor shows up with a wilted potted plant and accuses your WiFi of trying to kill it, you may not have a leg to stand on.
