Springtime Reminders From 2000s Tunes

Tabitha Samuels

I can’t help it—I’m a nostalgic person. “Throwback Thursday” social media posts never fail to make me smile, and when I need motivational music to get a job done, early 2000s and 2010s playlists are my go-to. It’s something about hearing songs from my childhood and teen years that gives me enough energy and momentum to conquer any spreadsheet or grad school research paper. 

I was listening to one such playlist (Top Hits of 2006, if you’re curious) on a recent Sunday afternoon while typing up an assignment for my Science Communications class. To my surprise (and slight annoyance), many of the songs made me think of things I needed to do at work the next day. Whether you’re a nostalgic Millennial like me or not, here are a few reminders to take into the greenhouse this spring.

“Every Time We Touch” (Cascada)—Friendly reminder that sanitizing practices matter, since “every time we touch” plants and tools it’s an opportunity for spreading diseases. As we move into the busy season, don’t forget to be diligent in cleaning your trimmers, URC storage containers, benches and even your hands. Make sure your teams are following established sanitizing protocols and set a good example by doing the same—including washing your hands after scouting if you touch any plants with signs of diseases.

“Temperature” (Sean Paul)—Now’s a great time to take a look at your temperature set-points for any automatic greenhouse controls, like curtains, vents and heating-and-cooling systems. It’s easy to “set it and forget it,” but don’t let automation make you lazy! Make sure thermostats, run times and clocks are set where they should be, and double check that everyone who needs access to these controls has the passcodes, keys and knowledge necessary to make adjustments when needed.

“Move Along” (All-American Rejects)—As we venture into springtime, let the re-awakening of nature remind you to “move along” and let go of any bad habits or apathetic attitudes you may have picked up after your New Years’ resolutions wore off.

“I Know You See It” (Yung Joc)—Now is also the time to handle any little problems you’ve been ignoring (perhaps because of the busyness of the season) before they become big problems. Small pest outbreaks, leaking sprayers or issues you’ve noticed developing in your teams—“I know you see it,” so get it handled!

“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” (Panic! At the Disco)—Several great GrowerTalks writers have recently talked about the importance of record-keeping, both in regards to experimental projects and day-to-day operations, so I won’t elaborate much on the topic. I’ll just say that keeping good records and reviewing them often can keep a little greenhouse “sin” from becoming a repeated “tragedy”!  GT