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

Adam and Amber take advantage of the spring-like weather to walk listeners through what should already be on the early-season checklist. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, they share quick gift ideas from the nursery, then shift into the real timing window for winter work—tree pruning before bud break, cutting back overgrown shrubs, trimming roses (but not climbers), refreshing mulch beds, and getting lawn equipment serviced before repair shops get backed up.

They also encourage homeowners to check sprinkler systems now for clogged heads or freeze damage, and to get on the schedule early if they’ll need a mowing or landscaping company this season. The Plant of the Week is the Redbud, with Adam explaining the differences between eastern and western varieties, why redbuds bloom before leafing out, and why now is the perfect time to plant one.

The episode wraps with a strong February reminder: pre-emergent season is here, and staying ahead of crabgrass, sandburs, and other tough West Texas weeds starts now—not after they’ve already taken over.

It’s the last day of January, it’s freezing outside, and Adam, Amber, George (and a napping Willis) kick off a “what now?” episode after a wild week of closures and nonstop firewood sales. With Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, and a family wedding on the horizon, Adam names the Texas state flower—bluebonnets—as Plant of the Week and breaks down the real way they grow: the tough seed coat, how (and when) to scarify seeds, why you don’t need soil prep, and the hilarious truth about “it’s illegal to pick them.”

Then it’s all about February prevention: pecan buying tips, the Farmers’ Almanac (final paper edition), and the nursery’s month-by-month lawn guide—plus a deep dive into early-season protectants like drenches, horticultural oils, and scale control, including why timing matters.

In the final segment, Adam lays out the most important early lawn move of the year: pre-emergent—when to apply it, how long it lasts, why it beats chasing weeds later, and the difference between pre- and post-emergent products. Bonus: a smart West Texas strategy with an optional May application to help fight late-season troublemakers like sandburs and khaki weed.