Garden Grower in Blue Ridge

In the woods of Taylors in the Blue Ridge Community, you’ll find Blue Oak Horticulture. As you meander up the gravel drive, the woods open up to an expansive pasture land where Ryan Merck, the owner, has created an oasis of plants just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Greenville.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit Blue Oak Horticulture and explore this beautiful spot. Ryan showed me around his herb garden, main garden, and greenhouse. I came specifically for the greenhouse and his plant starts and was not disappointed. He has some of the prettiest and healthiest plants I have seen. He has systems for growing and you can tell he cares about the quality of the plants he is sharing with the community.

We had a great discussion about plants, because that’s what you do when you find other plant people. :) I asked him if I could feature him on my blog and he fortunately said yes! So without further ado, let’s get to know Ryan and Blue Oak Horticulture a little bit more…

Name?

Ryan Merck

What’s your company name?

Blue Oak Horticulture, LLC

Where are you located?

Our address is Taylors but we are happy to be located in the beautiful Blue Ridge community in northern Greenville county. 

What do you do/offer?

Blue Oak is a horticultural resource for everyone from gardeners to small farmers. We grow vegetable transplants, shrubs and trees that produce edible fruit, and local ecotype native perennials. We offer custom propagation services for items that are not available in the trade. If you want a plant that you cannot seem to find, let us know. We can probably grow it for you. We also offer horticultural consulting, organic certification consulting, and fruit and ornamental pruning.  

How did you get started in your current business?

I have been growing nursery plants for 20 years and Blue Oak is my outlet to share my love of plants with our community. 

When did you first start your gardening journey?

Some of my earliest memories are from my grandmother’s vegetable garden and my grandfather’s azalea collection. Through them I learned a love of the outside world and the rewarding experience of helping plants flourish. 

What excites you the most about gardening?

I love seeing wildlife interact with a garden. When tiger swallow tails cover the blooms on a Joe Pye weed or a goldfinch stops for a meal on a coneflower seed head I know that what I do makes a difference. 

What is your favorite job around the garden?

Collecting seed is one of my favorite activities. Feeling a season come to an end is so much easier to face when it’s laced with the seeds of the future. 

What is your least favorite job around the garden?

I would probably have to say cold protection in early Spring. I have a tendency to follow the seasons when I garden but to satisfy the market I have to grow tomatoes and peppers much earlier than I would for my own garden. Moving plants in and out of the greenhouse or covering frost sensitive plants with row covers reminds me that I am out of sync with nature’s rhythm. 

What’s your favorite vegetable/fruit to grow?

Carrots!!! I love carrots and my kids love carrots. Anytime I can grow something that my kids will go pick themselves with out my prompting then it’s going to be a winner in my book. 

What advice would you give to a beginner?

Spend time in the garden when you aren’t working. I love to get my gardening “work” done in the morning but I would not enjoy the garden as much as I do if I didn’t take evening strolls through the garden with my family. It is important to speak your dreams in to existence and there is no better place to plant the seeds of a dream than in your garden. 

Where can people find your products?

Our nursery is located at 198 Fews Bridge Road, Taylors and we are open by appointment. We sell at Swamp Rabbit Café & Grocery and at Travelers Rest Farmers Market. 

If you’re looking to support local and want an excellent start with your garden, give Blue Oak Horticulture a call…your garden will thank you! He’ll be at the Travelers Rest Farmer’s Market (open from 8 am to 12 pm) this weekend, stop by and say hi!

(You can also find Blue Oak Horticulture on Instagram and Facebook.)