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 wcgardens24@gmail.com

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 wcgardens24@gmail.com

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 wcgardens24@gmail.com

With cooler weather and some much-needed rain finally appearing in the forecast, Adam and Amber cover the late-season jobs West Texas gardeners should be tackling now. That includes the final winterizer fertilizer application, fall pre-emergent for ragweed and winter weeds, checking sprinkler systems for broken or clogged heads, and keeping St. Augustine properly watered even as temperatures begin to fall. They also explain why leaf scorch, early leaf drop and other signs of stress are showing up after the area's long stretch of extreme summer heat.

This week's Plant of the Week is Asiatic Jasmine, one of the most dependable evergreen groundcovers for West Texas landscapes. Adam and Amber discuss its ability to handle everything from full sun to considerable shade, its drought tolerance, adaptability to different soils, and resistance to deer and rabbits. They also tackle a couple of common misconceptions about Asiatic Jasmine—including the idea that it attracts rattlesnakes or is inherently invasive—and explain why they've used it extensively in both residential and commercial landscapes.

Plus, there's a new tool for houseplant owners battling fungus gnats: an organic larvicide designed to attack the pest during its soil-dwelling larval stage. Adam explains how it differs from systemic insecticides and why controlling the larvae can break the gnat life cycle. They also cover the return of webworms, the approaching monarch migration, proper mower-blade maintenance, and Amber's latest succulent-pumpkin workshop as fall finally begins to take hold in the Big Country.

all is finally beginning to show signs of arriving in West Texas after a record-setting stretch of heat. Adam and Amber cover the late-September landscape checklist, including the final weeks for laying sod, fall pre-emergent, winterizer fertilizer, and why they've delayed mums, fall vegetables and herbs until temperatures become more manageable. They also explain important timing considerations if you're planning to overseed with rye or fescue, plant spring-flowering bulbs, or have newly installed sod.

With cooler weather approaching, the focus turns to one of the best fall projects: planting trees. Adam and Amber explain why fall gives new trees months to develop roots before the next West Texas summer, how to choose between ornamental and shade trees, and what to consider when selecting a planting location. They cover proper distance from houses, sidewalks and driveways; overhead and underground utilities; planting depth; staking; root stimulators; mulch; and the deep watering newly planted trees need while becoming established. They also tackle the perennial question of whether there's really such a thing as a “non-messy” tree.

Plus, Amber shares what's happening inside Willow Creek Gardens' Workshop Warehouse, including terrariums, kokedamas and fall succulent pumpkin projects. Adam and Amber also discuss the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association's professional certification program, the extensive knowledge required to become a certified nursery professional, and why continuing education matters even after decades in the green industry.

West Texas has officially broken its record for the longest stretch of 100-degree days, and Adam and Amber talk about keeping landscapes going as the heat follows us into September. They cover late-season sod installation, why new sod needs time to establish before cold weather arrives, and the importance of holding off on unnecessary fertilizer during extreme heat.

This week's Plant of the Week is the Century Plant, Agave americana—a dramatic, extremely drought-tolerant choice that's right at home in West Texas heat, rocky soils and reflective areas near driveways and streets. Adam and Amber discuss its enormous flower stalk, why the mother plant eventually dies after blooming, how its pups continue the planting, and several other agave varieties. They also explain why agaves work particularly well where deer, rabbits, limited water and brutal sunshine make other plants difficult to grow.

Then it's time to get ahead of fall and winter weeds with pre-emergent. Adam explains why September is one of the key application periods in West Texas, how pre-emergents stop weed seeds before they establish, and the differences between pre-emergent, post-emergent and combination products. They cover Dimension, Gallery, Barricade, Treflan and other options; precautions for St. Augustine and newly laid sod; and why you shouldn't apply pre-emergent before overseeding with rye, fescue or other grass seed. Plus, Adam shares an easy way to remember the three major West Texas application windows: Labor Day, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.

A relentless stretch of triple-digit temperatures continues across West Texas, and Adam and Amber explain what that means for lawns, trees and shrubs. They cover leaf scorch, heat stress, watering during prolonged hot weather, and why heavy fertilizing should wait until temperatures ease. They also look ahead to fall pre-emergent season and share some of the newest arrivals at Willow Creek Gardens, including mini tropicals and succulents, pitcher plants, sundews, desert roses and the unusual ant plant.

This week's Plant of the Week is Nandina, an old-fashioned landscape favorite that's found new life through colorful modern varieties. Adam and Amber compare standard Nandina domestica with varieties including Gulf Stream, Firepower, Flirt and Obsession, discussing mature sizes, seasonal color and the best locations for them in West Texas landscapes. They also explain why Nandinas can be an excellent choice for shady areas where gardeners want an evergreen shrub with relatively little maintenance.

Then the conversation moves from plants to hardscaping—the patios, walkways, retaining walls, pergolas and other permanent features that can transform how a landscape looks and functions. Drawing on years of installation experience, Adam and Amber explain the advantages of true interlocking concrete pavers, including design flexibility, durability and the ability to remove and reinstall them when underground repairs are needed. They also discuss retaining walls for slopes and water diversion, pergolas for West Texas shade, and how thoughtful hardscaping can add an entirely new dimension to an outdoor space.

With West Texas temperatures pushing toward 107 and 108 degrees, Adam and Amber focus on helping landscapes survive the late-August heat. They explain why leaf scorch and afternoon heat wilt don't necessarily mean a plant needs more water, how to check newly planted trees and shrubs, and why deep watering is better than a little water every day. They also discuss Hydretain, late-season sod installation, and why this isn't the time to push lawns and landscapes with heavy fertilizer.

This week's Plant of the Week moves indoors with the popular "String of" plants, led by String of Pearls. Adam and Amber explore String of Bananas, Dolphins, Turtles, Watermelons, Hearts and more, explaining their unusual shapes, light requirements, soil needs, propagation and one of the biggest keys to success: avoiding overwatering. Amber shares why bottom-watering many of the succulent varieties can help prevent the trailing stems and leaves from rotting against wet soil.

And if it's too hot to landscape outside, why not build one indoors? Adam and Amber take listeners inside Willow Creek Gardens' Workshop Warehouse, where visitors can create terrariums, fairy gardens, kokedamas, succulent arrangements, sand art, Zen gardens and seasonal projects. They discuss private workshops, DIY projects, the huge assortment of plants and decorative materials available, and some of the creative projects customers have brought to life—from family heirloom teacups to succulent pumpkins and custom centerpieces.