Who we are
Provide for your own.
Whatever comes.
Urban Root is a small, independent self-reliance studio in South Africa. We build the tools, and soon the gear, that let ordinary people grow food, size a system and prepare for lean times. No specialist, no big budget, and no engineering degree required.
Why we started
The knowledge was locked away.
It began with a frustration. The knowledge to grow your own food, size a pump, run a grow room or store a year of provisions was locked behind expensive consultants, dense engineering, or software built for commercial farms. If you were an ordinary person who simply wanted to provide for your family, you were mostly on your own.
We did not think that was right. The ability to feed and provide for the people you love should not depend on a degree or a big bank balance. So we built the tools we wished existed, precise, honest, and made for real people working in real gardens and grow rooms.
One tool became five. Growers, homesteaders and preppers started to rely on them. Urban Root grew from there, and the mission never changed.
What we do
The tool carries the engineering.
We build precise, one-time-purchase tools that do the hard maths for you. Aeroponics and hydroponics sizing, grow-room climate, vertical gardens, food storage, and whole-homestead planning. You bring the goal, the tool works out the numbers.
Soon we will supply the gear too, the pumps, nozzles, controllers and kits, matched to the numbers your tool gives you. That way there is a clear path from a plan to a working system, with nothing left to guesswork.
Everything is built mobile-first, because most of this work happens on your feet, not at a desk. You pay once and keep it. No subscriptions, no accounts, and no harvesting your data.
What we stand for
Five things we will not compromise on.
Self-sufficiency is for everyone
You should not need land you do not have, money you do not have, or anyone's permission to provide for your own household. We build to lower that barrier, not to guard it.
You do not need an engineering degree
The maths behind a good system is real, but you should not have to learn it to benefit from it. The tool carries the engineering so you can carry the harvest.
Honest tools, paid once
We sell tools that respect you. One price, no lock-in, no dark patterns, no upsell treadmill. Where a free version does the job, we tell you so.
Ready for what is coming
We believe hard seasons come, and, as followers of Christ, that Jesus is returning. Preparing to provide for your family is not fear. It is stewardship, and love put into practice.
Made by hand, in South Africa
We are a small team that uses these tools ourselves, in our own gardens and grow rooms. The people who build them are the people who answer your email.
We would rather be ready, and help others be ready too.
Start today
Find the tool you need, and start where you are.
Browse the tools →Questions? Email hello@urban-root.com. A real person answers.