Landscaping in the Big Country with Adam Andrews

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 houses, utilities, pools, and power lines—and why a little planning now makes all the difference later.

They wrap up with last-minute Christmas gift ideas from the nursery, including trees as long-term gifts, houseplants, outdoor décor, and easy grab-and-go options for holiday gatherings, all while keeping things light, seasonal, and very West Texas.

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 are in the same building, making it an easy two-for-one weekend stop for holiday fun and gift ideas.

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 blooming.

The conversation then turns to winter and spring color with a rundown on bulbs: which ones perennialize in West Texas (daffodils, hyacinths, grape hyacinths, paperwhites) and which are annuals here (tulips), plus how and why to pre-chill bulbs in the fridge. Adam wraps things up with a look at a strong pecan year in the Big Country, why pecans are such a valuable shade and food tree, and how Willow Creek is buying local pecans and turning them into gift-ready treats—candied pecans, smoked pistachios, local honey, and more—perfect for Christmas parties, office gifts, and stocking stuffers.

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 spends time on holiday cacti — explaining the real difference between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter cactus, how growers “cheat” the seasons with light and darkness, and how to keep yours blooming instead of rotting: light levels, watering, soil mixes, mycorrhizae, and simple tricks to get a second bloom cycle.

The show wraps with practical winter prep and gift ideas: bringing tropicals inside, using freeze cloth on veggies, dialing sprinkler systems back for winter, timing leaf cleanups, protecting pets, and creative Christmas gifts like trees, tropical houseplants, pecan gift trays, and workshop gift certificates from Willow Creek Gardens.

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 Warehouse open house, so Adam holds down the fort with special guest Victor Hernandez of Blue Jay Landscaping & Tree Service and climber/arborist Casey Souffle. They dig into what really goes into safe, professional tree work — climbing, rigging, chainsaws in the canopy, and why good gear, training, and planning matter. Victor talks about building Blue Jay from mowing yards at 14 into a full-scale landscape and tree company, why he got out of maintenance to focus on higher-skill work, how he thinks about pricing, advertising, and word-of-mouth, and even how he approaches hiring, training, and (when he has to) firing.

It’s a mix of practical seasonal advice, tree care talk, small-business honesty, and a reminder that in West Texas, you can still be in shorts while you’re getting ready for Christmas.

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 the Plant of the Week—the bright red Flanders poppy, a traditional symbol of remembrance for Veterans Day.

Plus, they discuss this year’s pecan harvest, when to stock up on firewood, and a few weekend projects to get your yard ready before the holidays.

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 Big Country: where they go, how to sell them, and what makes a great-tasting nut.

Landscaping in the Big Country with Adam Andrews is your weekly guide to thriving West Texas yards—lawns, trees, beds, soil, water-wise strategies, seasonal to-dos, and practical fixes for pests and disease. Broadcast live at noon Saturdays on NewsTalk1560, KZQQ-AM (Abilene, Texas), Adam answers listener questions and shares expert tips tailored to the Big Country climate. Send your questions for on-air consideration to [email protected]

Landscaping in the Big Country with Adam Andrews is your weekly guide to thriving West Texas yards—lawns, trees, beds, soil, water-wise strategies, seasonal to-dos, and practical fixes for pests and disease. Broadcast live at noon Saturdays on NewsTalk1560, KZQQ-AM (Abilene, Texas), Adam answers listener questions and shares expert tips tailored to the Big Country climate. Send your questions for on-air consideration to [email protected]