Episodes
With Christmas just days away and temperatures climbing into the 80s, Adam and Amber talk through what the warm, unpredictable weather means for your landscape right now. They explain why it’s best to leave green plants alone, when to wait on cutting back perennials, shrubs, and roses, and how mistimed pruning can actually cause more damage once colder weather returns.The conversation also covers tree planting season, why winter is ideal for getting trees established, and how proper placement can save homeowners years of problems. Adam walks through common mistakes—planting too close to hou...
Adam previews a warm weekend followed by a quick cool-down, then highlights Willow Creek Gardens’ Workshop Warehouse Open House—a come-and-go event where you can build terrariums, sand art, kokedamas, and succulent gardens. The workshop is open Saturday 10–5 and Sunday 1–5.Adam is joined by Dan Schueler, president of the Abilene Society of Model Railroaders, to talk about the club’s layouts, scales, and how family-friendly the hobby is—plus what visitors can expect at their open house, including interactive details for kids and a scavenger-hunt-style search for hidden features. Both events ...
Adam and Amber ride the mid-December weather roller coaster and kick things off with Small Business Saturday plus details on next weekend’s big double-header: the Willow Creek Gardens Workshop Warehouse Open House and the Abilene Society of Model Railroaders open house, with terrariums, sand art for the kids, and plenty of Christmas gift ideas. From there, they dig into holiday plants—clearing up myths about poinsettias, explaining how to keep them healthy indoors, and walking through the differences between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter cactus, including how light and darkness affect...
On this post-Thanksgiving episode of Landscaping in the Big Country, Adam and Amber Andrews shake off the turkey haze and dive into late-fall yard care on KZQQ 1560. They start with Small Business Saturday, a quick Abilene weather rundown, and why today is the day to finish outdoor chores before the next hard freeze settles in.From there, they recap the first Workshop Warehouse open house and preview the next one coming up in December — complete with terrariums, sand art for the kids, coca-dama projects, and even a tie-in with the Abilene model railroaders’ open house next door.Adam then sp...
On this episode of Landscaping in the Big Country, Adam Andrews opens the show with a look at our much-needed rain, a mild forecast heading into Thanksgiving, and why now is prime time for leaf cleanups, winter color, and that “last mow” before putting the lawnmower to bed for the season. Adam also spotlights the Eldarica (Afghan) pine as Plant of the Week — explaining why it’s nearly tailor-made for West Texas and how it can pull double duty as a living Christmas tree you enjoy indoors now and plant in your yard later.Amber is across the street hosting Willow Creek Gardens’ Workshop Wareho...
It feels like midsummer in mid-November, but Adam and Amber lay out a smart plan for the week ahead: record-warm days now, a mild front with rain on the way, and how to prep without overreacting—bring in true tropicals, cover tender bloomers with cloth (not plastic), and switch sprinklers to winter settings while you tackle leaf cleanups and a final mow. They explain why fall is the best time to plant trees, why frost—not the number on the thermometer—does the damage, and why it pays to stock firewood before the first real cold snap.
It feels like midsummer, but the calendar says Thanksgiving is only three weeks away. Adam and Amber talk about the rollercoaster of West Texas weather and how to prepare for the season’s first possible freeze. They share tips on bringing in tropical plants, covering tender blooms, and why frost—not the temperature—is what really does the damage.You’ll also hear advice on resetting sprinkler systems for winter, leaf cleanup, and why now is the perfect time to plant new trees. Amber previews the upcoming Terrarium Workshop Open House at the Willow Creek Gardens warehouse, and Adam highlights...
As November begins, Adam and Amber talk about preparing your landscape for cooler weather—everything from bringing in tropical plants and protecting your outdoor faucets to setting your sprinkler system for winter. They’ll explain why freeze cloth is better than plastic, when to mulch and clean up leaves, and how to keep your St. Augustine and fescue healthy through the season.Plus, a look at planting trees in fall, restocking firewood before the first real cold front, and this week’s featured plant—the colorful and cold-hardy pansy. And don’t miss their discussion on pecan season in the Bi...
Adam and Amber ease us into “pre-fall” and what that means for your yard. Timely to-dos: it’s the last call for fall lawn fertilizing and pre-emergent; true freeze talk can wait. Fall color arrives with violas (heat-tolerant pansy cousins), wonderfully fragrant stock, ornamental kale & cabbage, and eye-popping ornamental peppers (pretty—don’t rub your eyes!).Plant of the Week: Chinese Pistachio (Pistacia chinensis) — a Texas Superstar shade tree that laughs at heat, cold, and clay. Expect long life, strong fall color (oranges → reds), deep non-surface roots, pest resistance, and minimal mes...
West Texas is easing toward fall, and Adam & Amber share how the shorter days and cooler nights kick plants into gear. We hit the week’s forecast, the State Fair effect (bring that rain!), and a quick celestial note on daylight. Then: a fun recap of our succulent-pumpkin workshop.Plant of the Week is Asiatic (Asian) Jasmine—why it’s the near-bulletproof, evergreen groundcover for Abilene (shade to sun, drought-tough, low-maintenance) and how to plant and use it in beds and containers.
Adam & Amber kick off this week’s Landscaping in the Big Country with a look at the skies—Saturn opposition and the autumn equinox. They spotlight a community car wash supporting Dyess We Care’s Operation Special Santa, then dig into the plant of the week: mint. From peppermint to mojito, chocolate to pineapple, they share varieties, uses, and even its surprising bug-repelling powers. Plus, fall lawn care tips, pre-emergent timing, and why September is prime time for mums, bulbs, and planning new trees and shrubs. Tune in for a mix of gardening know-how, local flavor, and a few laughs.
Fall is (almost) here—even if the thermometer still says 95. Adam & Amber break down exactly when to put out pre-emergent, your final lawn fertilization, and why mums (Chrysanthemum grandiflorum) are the perfect plant-of-the-week—plus how florist mums differ from hardy garden mums. They cover raised-bed basics (drainage + soil mix), frost-tolerant fall veggies and herbs to start now, and smart watering for St. Augustine. Bonus: pumpkins are in, sod season is closing fast, and fall is prime time to plant trees in the Big Country. Tune in for practical, local how-tos that make your landscape ...
A wild Texas weather swing kicks off this week’s Landscaping in the Big Country as Adam & Amber dive into fall prep: when to put down pre-emergent (and why it beats curative sprays), tackling nutsedge and khaki weed, and why pecan “suckers” won’t grow into true trees. Plus, plant spotlights on the century plant (Agave americana), bromeliads, and easy-care air plants, with practical tips on cold-hardiness, watering, and variegation. Tune in for local, no-nonsense advice made for the Big Country.
Adam Andrews zeroes in on this week’s biggest Big Country yard problems—what to tackle now, what to hold until the temps break, and the money-saving move most folks overlook. Quick, West-Texas-proof fixes you can put to work today.
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