Chicago Roots Hydroponics is awesome! Best hydroponics store in Chicago! They have an awesome selection of grow lights, plant trays, hydroponic growing tools, amenities, nutrients, pesticides, insecticides, and more! If you are a plant person; you need to check out Chicago Roots Hydroponics! Highly recommend!! read more

Chicago Roots Hydroponics and Organics - Plant Trays - Hydroponics Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place use to be the best. It's absolutely pathetic now. They never have anything in stock and never know when they will be getting more in. The staff is useless. It completely fell apart after marious was got let go. read more

I am building a school based hydroponics garden. Tom was very helpful. I really enjoy getting supplies and advice from Roots. I have stopped by several times and will continue to shop at the Irving Park store. read more

This is quite a fantastic store with many employees who are very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I came in as a total noob growing vegetables in my condo and had created a bacterial overgrowth problem in my nutrient solution. The staff were very helpful and interested in teaching me how to correct my mistakes and be successful going forward. There was no up sell pressure or anything. They were insistent on finding the cheapest and most effective solution to my issue. I can't recommend this place highly enough. Will be going back again. read more

Chicago Roots Hydroponics and Organics - Hydroponic tomatoes. - Hydroponics Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This store has the nicest and most knowledgeable staff that is always willing to take the time to explain and educate. They really know a lot about their products. read more

Yep. These guys are great. I discovered this place after crappy treatment at Brew & Grow and was so relieved to find a place where I was happy to lay down my money. I'm not an idiot, but that doesn't mean I'm an expert and every product they've recommended has been great! I don't treat these guys like they are there to train me. I do my own research, have opinions, ask pointed questions about a specific need and I get helpful responses. I really couldn't ask for more. ...And they have a very friendly porcupine puffer fish! read more

Awesome thanks to roots. Huge help in finding all my organic nutrients. The workers are awesome!!

The store was very nice and helpful. But I decided to take the longer drive to this store in order to use the yelp advertised coupon that states 20% off the entire purchase.(they put stars Atkins entire purchase) . They can not give a discount on practically any of the products they carry(the "entire purchase" coupon wasn't even able to be used on the y duct piece I purchased(which could have been easily purchased at a lower price online or at home depot). Even with the knowledgeable staff I feel like it was a huge bait and switch and that will be the reason I do not come back. read more

I've been a customer of Chicago Roots for the past year, and over that period, never once had a bad experience. The staff is incredibly friendly, and all seem to have a respective area of expertise - some know organic farming, some specialize in DWC/Hydro, etc etc. Needless to say, there's always a load of expertise on hand at any given moment, which is invaluable for a passionate gardener like myself. Prices are VERY reasonable for a local small business - most products at Roots are cheaper/comparable to the e-commerce alternative, so it always makes it an easy choice for me to keep supporting these guys - keep up the great work. read more

I didn't know this place has been here for 10 years. Marius was very friendly and helpful. The soil I purchased was so much cheaper here than anywhere else. I'll definitely be back for future supplies and to talk about growing! read more

Been coming here since their pitbull got fixed, it's a weed growers heaven and they have free reverse osmosis water

Will be a forever customer here. They are over 30 minutes from my house but i glady take the drive because of their amazing selection and above all, all the assistance and help they provide to new gardeners. I highly recommend shopping here read more

After buying the soil fertilizers instead of hydroponics nutrients yesterday I was here at the store today again to return the fertilizer a little disappointed. They were very polite and accepted my returns without any trouble and were very accommodating. Staff was very informative and was giving me a lot of information regarding growing tomatoes and peppers in my hydroponic garden. She explained me exactly the quantity and the kind of nutrient to put in my water and she also recommended me to buy the ph balance kit which is crucial for healthy plant growth. I highly recommend this store for starters like me. They are one stop shop to all your plantation needs and are very reasonably priced. read more

Was not high pressured into buying anything and received a lot of great advice that is working for me now. I did make purchases that day and will be happy to spend my money there. Very personalized service, so nice to see these days! read more

Tommy & Marius are my hydro gurus!!! I was looking to start my own hydro- garden & these gents patiently walked me through each step & even offered free samples to get my garden started! They also set me up w an anonymous customer account that saves me 10% w every purchase!!! They also let me know that they'd be happy to beat any price- if I could even find a better price lol (It doesnt hurt that both the guys working are both super hot & also offer me lunch every time I come to visit, but have a steak for me next time rather than hot dogs, k?; ) I highly recommend this store to anyone looking for specialty gardening products, as they are happy to 'special order' any products not in their inventory, or just to stop in & chat about your latest gardening venture! Thanks again for your expert advice Tommy & Marius! I'm so excited to try out all the varieties that I've been hesitant to experiment with, knowing that I have such a reliable gardening resource in the neighborhood!! read more

Super cool/nice staff, really knowledgeable and told me everything I needed to know since I'm dumb and have literally never gRown a plant before. They have tons of supplies and stuff, which was super overwhelming but they explained everything and made it all easy to understand. 10/10 experience :3 read more

Great people Marius is very knowledgeable And save me lots of money instead of going online they have everything they are in stock love this place thanks Maria's read more

Was following some videos on YouTube and the guys inside pretty much talked me out of a complicated setup and made it simple! I was with my son who was not cooperating very well and they helped me get out with what I needed without feeling rushed. I was shocked to see that the prices were cheaper or similar to Amazon and eBay! Support your local businesses and buy local! Thanks for the help guys! read more

Running an errand, I happened to spot the very new Organic Gardening and Hydroponics store and I am so happy I took the time to stop in. Since the first visit I have returned two other times and have been extremely satisfied with the service, products and pricing. The store is set up nicely with products being displayed & organized (easy to find) and employees on hand to answer any questions. Each time I visit I am greeted with new surprises (rain barrels and vermi-compost tea this last visit) and can't wait to continue to watch their growth. If you are into gardening, hydroponics or just live in Chicago and need soil for houseplants or garden you really want to check this place out. Easy parking off alley (entrance off Keystone) or in front on Irving Park Road. Thank you for opening in Chicago and thank you for having/hosting Vendor Thursdays! read more

These guys really know their shit when it comes to anything pertaining to plants, nutrients, media and lighting. Ask them anything regarding planting, and they'll tell you what you need to know. They have every kind of nutrient, potting soil, and anything else you could possibly need for your plants. Their prices are very competitive too. They'll even try and save you money by suggesting more cost efficient alternatives that you may not be aware of. Very friendly and eager to be of assistance. I'll be shopping here from now on for sure. read more

While this era of social distancing sucks and makes a few things more difficult than usual, its extremely ridiculous that you would rush a customer off the phone who is about to spend lots of money and has just a few questions to make sure the items they want to purchase is the correct one. If other customers are more important, then take care of them at the expense of others. I won't be disrespected and absolutely will never patronize this business again. read more

Having been a regular at Brew and Grow for seven years I assumed I was getting a fair deal. Was I wrong! Chicago Roots is the only place I'll ever shop. Tommy was great, didn't try to show how smart he was like the other place did, with one exception Brew employees were arrogant. Getting back to Chicago Root's, they have a great selection are convenient to the Kennedy and easy parking down the alley off of Keystone. Try this place and I know you'll be satisfied.Ask about the loyalty program to get a discount. read more

I am out visiting from Cali these guys have a grest store, big inventory with great prices! Kill'n it! I will be back!

I continue to be impressed by this place every time I go. Every one of their staff are extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and eager to help. Their prices are beyond fair for the quality that you're getting, and for getting some simple plastic pots for container gardening, not even big box stores like Home Depot can compete with their prices. I'm somewhat new to urban gardening, but am determined to have a substantial and healthy crop going on my roof this year. I've learned quite a bit just asking the staff here questions. Also, if you're interested in some of their organic fertilizers, they often have free samples for you to try. Definitely check this place out. read more

great selection of interesting equipment and nice friendly knowledgeable staff. My only interest was in some potting soil, I don't do hydroponics, and they had several good choice as well as fertilizing components. Maybe I will try some little hydroponic in the future, but they are great for soil and admendments. read more

Very knowledgeable staff and great customer service. All of the products they offer are very high quality and have led to incredible results in my vegetable and ornamental flower gardens. Tommy and Kevin's suggestions on soil supplements have been spot on and I highly recommend you ask for them and chat them up if you're looking to push your soil-based or hydroponic plant production to the next level. read more

This is a great store and they're real knowledgable about all your growing needs!!!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Apparently this place regularly doesn't open according to its hours. I came an hour after they were supposedly open and me and two other potential customers were turned away because no one showed up to open the store. Amateur hour.., read more

These guys have the most inventory and can order anything that you need that they don't have. Tommy and Marius are some of the two most knowledgeable people in the business. Always out to help their customers number one and provide good pricing on top of the knowledge. Best selection for indoor/ outdoor gardening supplies in Chicago hands-down. read more

Great business ethic. Helpful staff is committed to customer satisfaction.

Went inside the store on a lonely Sunday. The guy manning the desk was very knowledgeable and helpful. Five stars for good service -- and not being WalMart or Home Depot. read more

For years I grew orchids under lights...I had to move to a much smaller place and gave away my big plant stand and needed to scale back. Mike was great...I'm ready to start growing again. read more

I went in to Chicago Roots Hydroponics and Organics a couple of months ago to purchase a starter hydroponics kit. I recently began working on my Master's of Science in Sustainable Management degree and have been interested in hydroponics for some time. After taking a tour of The Plant, a re-purposed meatpacking facility in the Back of the Yards south side neighborhood, I wanted some first-hand experiences of growing hydroponic vegetables. I was greeted by the owner - Tommy - and explained my situation to him. Initially he actually attempted to talk me OUT of purchasing anything before I had really figured out exactly what I wanted to accomplish with my hydroponic system. I explained to him that my interest was merely academic at the moment and, on my insistence, purchased a fairly inexpensive starter kit. How many sales professionals in any industry actually try to talk you OUT of buying something? This is an honest individual with a rare amount of genuine integrity. After speaking with Tommy for a short while I explained to him that I had a report due on the topics of hydroponics, urban agriculture, and The Plant, specifically. One of the report's requirements was a qualitative interview with a knowledgeable and relevant individual to the subject matter. Rather spur-of-the-moment I asked Tommy if he would mind being that interview subject as he was clearly an expert in the field and was well aware of The Plant as well. He gladly complied and we set up a tentative day/time to conduct the interview. When that day rolled around Tommy had been called out of the shop on a delivery but assured me that his employee Mauris would amply suffice for my academic research interview. He also told me to call him on his cell at any point if I needed to or to come in after he returned to follow-up on the interview if I felt compelled to. None of these things were necessary as Mauris proved to be more than capable and qualified to answer my questions as another expert in the subject matter as well as The Plant itself. Mauris was kind enough to be interviewed in the midst of his shift. He even kept apologizing to me whenever he had to put the interview on hold to answer the phone or help another patron. After he had done this he would immediately return to the interview with another apology and we picked up right where we left off. Mauris - another honest individual with rare integrity. From trying to talk me out of buying something to granting my request to conduct an interview, during their working hours, with no other type of compensation from me other than my gratitude, my experiences with Chicago Roots Hydroponics and Organics have been nothing short of phenomenal. These individuals are experts in their field and have nothing but their patrons' best intentions at heart in all of their dealings. I am not an avid hydroponics grower yet but plan to be someday when I complete my Master's and have some more time to dedicate to it, but they have a customer for life after the way they treated me. read more

I purchased soil from here and now I have spider mites. Almost all the bottled nutrients I purchased were old, mold floating on top or salt buildup. I only visit the other hydro store now read more

Great help! I went in knowing next to nothing, and they got me all set up.. the best part is they told me what I could get elsewhere, and weren't pushing the sale. Truth be told, I got it all there anyway! I will be back, too read more

This may sound like a plug, but it's truly just the opinion of a very satisfied customer. I've been purchasing grow equipment/nutrients from Chicago Roots for about 2 years now and it's by far the best shop in the Chicagoland area. Tommy and Scott are SUPER knowledgeable in regards to both hydro and soil growing. Their selections of both equipment and nutrients are so expansive that it's literally a one stop shop for anything you could ever need. Also, their prices are ridiculously competitive to the point where they've beaten Amazon on every purchase I've made there. I've been to a number of other grow shops in the area and Chicago Roots is second to none by a landslide. If you're just starting or a seasoned grower, stop in to Chicago Roots, you will not be disappointed. read more

I read about hydroponic gardening and got C interested too. We headed to Chicago Roots to buy a basis kit, but after speaking with the very knowledgeable staff, we ended up deciding to garden in soil instead. A lot simpler. These folks know their stuff. The store is really well stocked and they have the most amazing assortment of nutrients you can imagine. This is truly one-stop-shopping. read more

Everything you need to grow your own (arugula of course, what did you think I meant?) all winter long - and Tommy is very helpful, even put together the light stand for me. Like John B I thought about hydroponics but decided to stick with soil for now - watering with saved water from cooking/waiting for shower to get warm/etc. makes me feel even better about doing my part for Mother Earth. read more

I'm a horticulturist, I grow many native prairie, desert and alpine plant species. I'm hard to please, and if you're also interested in propagation, this is a great place. I purchased glacial flour, greensand, and multiple fertilizers as well as a fluorescent light. They have multiple types of IBA, and every sort of media you could want. It's expensive, but it's pretty niche. I can't find Coco peat many other places so I'm quite pleased. Best of all, since they cater to indoor growers, they have things year round. American horticulture is pretty sad if you've ever seen nursery shops in England, they put us to shame. Places like this may help us Americans to catch up. read more

This is a great hydroponic and organic gardening store. Good selection, will special order items if necessary. Customer loyalty program gives you 5% discount on purchases. Owners works in the store and are very helpful and friendly. Big parking lot in back of store! read more