Plants may be underrated. Not only do they remember when they were touched, but studies have shown that they can make risky decisions as complex as humans without the help of their brains or complex nervous systems. Faced with two pots, one with a constant nutrient content and the other with variable levels, plants will prefer the mysterious one if the nutrients are poor enough. Perhaps this is a better explanation for why gamblers who lose keep gambling, and why birds forage on cold nights even if they don't know what they'll find, rather than sticking around for a certain amount of food that isn't enough to eat.
intended?
Taking chances in hostile conditions in the hope of survival may be an instinctive choice for all organisms.