How do you make an ICU for ailing plants?
Login
User Name
Password   


Registration is FREE. Click to become a member of OrchidBoard community
(You're NOT logged in)

menu menu

Sponsor
Donate Now
and become
Forum Supporter.

How do you make an ICU for ailing plants?
Many perks!
<...more...>


Sponsor
 

Google


Fauna Top Sites
LOG IN/REGISTER TO CLOSE THIS ADVERTISEMENT
  #1  
Old 08-27-2021, 10:00 AM
Mr.Fakename's Avatar
Mr.Fakename Mr.Fakename is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2020
Age: 28
Posts: 701
How do you make an ICU for ailing plants? Male
Default How do you make an ICU for ailing plants?

Due to combined efforts of slugs and heat waves, I have to rehab several plants at once.
I don't have dead Sphagnum, and the plastic bag trick isn't gonna cut it for many orchids.

I grabbed a big transparent box with a lid, some live Sphagnum, and put orchids inside.
They've been given Kelpmax and probiotics.

Now, the problem is finding the adequate light levels, temperatures, and humidity for optimal recovery.

It gets steamy inside, and might be too humid, as some oedema symptoms showed up overnight.


What conditions should I aim for? How do y'all care for plants in bad health?
Attached Thumbnails
How do you make an ICU for ailing plants?-20210827_154040-jpg  
__________________
I fertilise my orchids with the ashes of the ones that didn't want to bloom.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-27-2021, 10:22 AM
Shadeflower Shadeflower is offline
Banned
 

Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 1,247
How do you make an ICU for ailing plants?
Default

Hey Mr Fakename, I have tried the storage container like yours. It works ok but I've since moved on to something that works better for me.
The storage container builds too much condensation on the sides for my liking. You can use a fan to deal with this but then you need heat, a fan, light, a timer and ideally a thermostat.

What I have moved on to since which was just supposed to be a temporary ICU provides so much better results.

So what I did was get a 60x40 polystyrene shipping box. Sometimes you can get them for free from places, sometimes you can get them second hand on ebay, new they are quite expensive but that is also an option.

I added some 10cm polystyrene slats around the top to raise the height (the tranport boxes are too low), then for a lid I used an offcut piece of polycarbonate roofing sheet.

Since it is insulated only a little bit of heat is needed and is not affected by temps outside the box as much so a thermostat is not needed, just an adjustable heat mat on a timer. I leave a bit of a gap for ventilation but since no condensation forms no fan is needed. But this is a judgement call, if it gets too cold and stagnant then a humid box will cause problems.

It was so simple to set up, just add a grow light over it but the plants have grown so well in this box it is far better than the storage tubs I used to use that got condensation forming every day.

Currently I have my bellina's in the box so day temps have been 26 C nights around 20. Once winter hits I'll have to adjust it a bit but with a timer the heat mat can be set to come on briefly during the night if it gets too cold and the insulated box retains the heat for a good hour.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-27-2021, 10:35 AM
DirtyCoconuts's Avatar
DirtyCoconuts DirtyCoconuts is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Sep 2019
Zone: 10b
Location: South Florida, East Coast
Posts: 5,838
How do you make an ICU for ailing plants?
Default

you can just place a cover on the top and open it more or less to dial in the conditions...the idea above is a good one too
__________________
All the ways I grow are dictated by the choices I have made and the environment in which I live. Please listen and act accordingly
--------------------------------------------------------------
Rooted in South Florida....

Zone 10b, Baby! Hot and wet

#MoreFlowers Insta
#MoreFlowers Flickr
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-27-2021, 12:46 PM
estación seca's Avatar
estación seca estación seca is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jun 2015
Zone: 9b
Location: Phoenix AZ - Lower Sonoran Desert
Posts: 17,749
How do you make an ICU for ailing plants? Male
Default

I have plenty of natural light. For a while I kept my eyes open for second-hand aquaria. I had glass cut at the hardware store to make a lid. I raise the lid for more air circulation. They could also be used with lights. And aquaria come in many sizes.

I use the foam boxes for sprouting seeds in winter, so I don't need light. I put a foam cup of boiling water in there at night and secure the lid to keep the interior warm. Extra-heavy foam boxes are used for shipping some medical supplies frozen on dry ice (CO2 ice.) They are thrown away. If you know anybody who works in a surgical suite, a plastic surgeon's office, or a physician's office where BoTox or fillers are administered, you can ask them to save you one. I suggest you leave it in the outer cardboard shipping box for extra strength.
__________________
May the bridges I've burned light my way.

Weather forecast for my neighborhood
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-27-2021, 05:17 PM
Ray's Avatar
Ray Ray is online now
Senior Member
 

Join Date: May 2005
Member of:AOS
Location: Oak Island NC
Posts: 14,785
How do you make an ICU for ailing plants? Male
Default

I built a box out of foam insulation panels, on top of a plastic tray base. All held together with duct tape.

Inside were LED lights, fans and a Mist King system. The bottom was seedling heat mats covered by perforated mats.

1) Very high humidity
2) Quite warm

Worked like a charm.
__________________
Ray Barkalow, Orchid Iconoclast
FIRSTRAYS.COM
Try Kelpak - you won't be sorry!
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-28-2021, 12:22 PM
Mr.Fakename's Avatar
Mr.Fakename Mr.Fakename is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2020
Age: 28
Posts: 701
How do you make an ICU for ailing plants? Male
Default

Very solid suggestions, thanks guys. I will keep an eye out for a good insulated box, thankfully heat mat and LEDs are already acquired.
__________________
I fertilise my orchids with the ashes of the ones that didn't want to bloom.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-28-2021, 02:14 PM
camille1585's Avatar
camille1585 camille1585 is offline
Administrator
 

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: middle of the Netherlands
Posts: 13,683
Default

I have my ICU plants in a plastic tent (had no plastic container on hand). In the tent is a tray of leca that I keep wet. ICU is in a corner of the livingroom, in a rather dim spot. I don't have any problems at all with condensation, rot, odema... In the spring I had sent you photos of the crazy root growth on my ICU plants.
__________________
Camille

Completely orchid obsessed and loving every minute of it....

My Orchid Photos
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-29-2021, 07:10 PM
Fuerte Rav Fuerte Rav is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
Posts: 530
How do you make an ICU for ailing plants? Female
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr.Fakename View Post
Very solid suggestions, thanks guys. I will keep an eye out for a good insulated box, thankfully heat mat and LEDs are already acquired.
Worth having a look/asking at your fruit & vegetable shop. Our broccoli arrives packed in strong polystyrene boxes.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-30-2021, 07:20 AM
Ray's Avatar
Ray Ray is online now
Senior Member
 

Join Date: May 2005
Member of:AOS
Location: Oak Island NC
Posts: 14,785
How do you make an ICU for ailing plants? Male
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr.Fakename View Post
Very solid suggestions, thanks guys. I will keep an eye out for a good insulated box, thankfully heat mat and LEDs are already acquired.
It is very easy to make one out of foam sheeting and duct tape.
__________________
Ray Barkalow, Orchid Iconoclast
FIRSTRAYS.COM
Try Kelpak - you won't be sorry!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
inside, orchids, plants, recovery, sphagnum


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
All about Laelia purpurata estación seca Cattleya Alliance 12 03-18-2024 04:56 PM
Things I have learned as a newbie and the effects of underwatering SHag42 Beginner Discussion 27 01-12-2014 06:39 PM
So I bought some more plants....... Bolero Orchids in Bloom 11 11-07-2013 04:26 AM
Feeding your plants Ray Scientific Matters 12 10-03-2013 06:17 PM
New to terrestrial plants and epiphytic plants Caton Introductions - Break the Ice ! 7 02-09-2011 12:03 PM

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:10 AM.

© 2007 OrchidBoard.com
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.37 (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Feedback Buttons provided by Advanced Post Thanks / Like (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.

Clubs vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.