About SDN

Spilled Dirt Nursery is located in Puerto Rico.  Puerto Rico is a US territory and boasts the only tropical rainforest in the US Forestry system. As a commonwealth territory of the United States, it is serviced by domestic US carriers: FedEx, UPS and USPS. 

SDN uses USPS almost exclusively due to their affordable rates and superior efficiency.

The fundamental premise behind SDN is that global warming will drastically change hardiness zones and overall weather patterns so what was exclusively considered a strictly tropical, Zone 12, plant is already becoming suitable for a mild temperate Zone 9 climate.  In 2024, the USDA released an updated Hardiness Zone map where many regions saw half or full zone shifts-already.  Heliconia's and Banana's are now grown in even Zone 8 regions, provided a little extra care is taken to protect for winter conditions.

I moved to PR from the cool climate of the Pacific Northwest. My nursery was in the northern Willamette Valley in Oregon.  The nursery operated a mix of heated greenhouse space and a much larger high tunnel system.  I have always had an interest in tropical plants and decided to stop fighting ice and snow and simply go to where those plants were native or naturalized. Now I am able to offer better quality at more affordable prices.

Prior to establishing the Oregon nursery, my wife and I worked out of a large indoor grow room learning and perfecting growing tropical species. The tropical theme has remained consistent, carried over with passion flowers being a major early cornerstone.

As my experience and knowledge grew I shifted my focus almost exclusively to creating the absolute perfect potting media.  I spent several years perfecting a custom organic soil blend.  The results surpassed my wildest expectations. My aim was to maximize the micro and macro nutrients, organically, without harming the plant while striking a universal balance between moisture retention and optimal drainage.  If my customers could place one of my plants in their garden and have it thrive for many, many years I would earn their loyalty and trust: the best roots grow the best shoots.

The common saying is "flowers sell", which is true, but a robust plant is far superior to a peat and fertilizer one.  The root and circulatory system of a plant is its health---plain and simple.  Synthetic chemicals and sterile peat moss mixes will maintain a plant, but not always a healthy plant. A little 6 inch plant will have miles of roots, but maybe only a few dozen leaves: so I sell bottom up not top down.  I guarantee you, very, very few nurserymen think or operate the same.

Creating an ultra premium organic custom soil blend became my signature. My business model became: anyone could grow a plant to sell, but to incorporate an organically rich soil that not only permitted a plant to thrive, it also naturally repelled pest infestations above and below the soil.  From that I developed my signature "Dig N' Drop" concept.  A plant was in such highly nutritious organic soil that they could be planted directly into a native soil and require no subsequent fertilizer feeding for years.  Nutrient soils meant vibrant roots which meant a long term thriving plant for years for our clientele. My soil became so superior- surrounding plants began looking better when one of mine was planted.

Unfortunately, that concept does not carry over to an online, shipping nursery since all shipping soils must be soilless.  So I sell my soil separately in low cost and usable quantities to encourage people to think roots before blossoms.

I utilize the same concepts in the growing and nurturing of the young starts to ensure a superior early development that will carry forth in vigor and strength.

Happy gardening: "a greener world is a cooler world."

~Todd Moore, owner, Spilled Dirt Nursery.