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I am going on holiday for 3 weeks from late September, and looking for advice on how to water my winter-growing seedlings (othonna, sarcocaulon, eriospersmum and pelargonium) between 8 months-1 year old which have not gone through their first dormancy. It is very much autumn when I am away with temperature typically between 5-15°C (about 40-60°F) outdoors, and about 20°C indoors.

About the growing conditions:
--grown indoors under growth lights
--100% zeolite, pumice, lava rock and kiryu, with 1-2cm kiryu topping
--temperature as low as 15°C in the winter and 20-25°C in the summer
--watering manually once or twice a week depending on how low humidity is (it is generally dry where I live)
--no dormancy so far. There are some brown leaves here and there, but they are pushing out new leaves all the time

They grew well through the peak of summer last June and July. I planned to let them go dormant for the first time next year.

I started growing cacti and succulents from seeds last year and have limited experience in this area (I do however have hundreds of tropical houseplants). Now I am not sure what to do with them when I am away. There is no one I could ask for help with watering. It could be too late to force dormancy on some (e.g. othonna), and I read that sarcocaulon might be better grown indoors all year round without dormancy. I am considering capillary mats but I have zero experience with this method. I get nervous thinking about the potential loss and how hard it would be to get new seeds given strict import rules where I live.

Your tips and advice are much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I wish I could help you, but I have never grown your plants. I would suggest putting a post in the "Grown From Seed" subforum explaining your question with a link to this post. Some might see it there that don't look here. You never know.

Cacti and succulents can stay without watering months and sometimes years. If your seedlings aren't microscopic size they'll not suffer from this 3 weeks long break. IMHO

It's great to hear that you have been successfully growing cacti and succulents from seeds! As you are going on holiday for three weeks, it's important to consider how you will water your plants while you are away. Here are some tips and advice:

Consider setting up a capillary mat system: This can be a great solution for watering your plants while you are away. The capillary mat wicks up water from a tray below and keeps the soil moist without overwatering. You can set up a capillary mat system by placing a mat on top of a tray filled with water and putting your pots on top of the mat. Make sure the mat is in contact with the bottom of the pots, and that the water level in the tray is just below the top of the mat.

Test the capillary mat system before you leave: It's important to test the capillary mat system before you leave to make sure it's working properly. Water your plants normally and then set up the capillary mat system a few days before you leave. Check the soil moisture regularly to make sure it's not too wet or too dry.

Adjust your watering schedule: If you don't want to set up a capillary mat system, you can adjust your watering schedule before you leave. Water your plants thoroughly and then allow the soil to dry out a bit before you leave. This will reduce the risk of overwatering while you are away.

Consider placing your plants in a cooler location: Since the temperature will be cooler while you are away, consider moving your plants to a cooler location in your home. This will reduce the amount of water they need and make it easier to maintain the proper moisture level.

Ask a friend or neighbor to help: If you have a friend or neighbor who is knowledgeable about plants, you can ask them to help water your plants while you are away. Make sure to give them clear instructions on how to water your plants, including the amount of water and how often they should water.

Overall, it's important to make sure your plants are well-watered before you leave and to take steps to maintain proper soil moisture while you are away. Good luck and have a great trip!

Just leave them without water. They are succulents, even the one year olds can easily survive a few weeks if not months without water, as antisepp says. Just give them a good soak before you go, and maybe set the light intensity level a bit lower and the temperature a bit lower too (just in case), so they don't accidentally get burned or dry out too fast.

If you plan on growing any new seedlings, just hold sowing them until you are back, or better, sow them in the coming spring instead of the autumn. You can grow winter active succulents through their first summer through the autumn and winter, an only next spring allowing them to have a summer dormancy. I usually sow winter active succulents in spring and not in autumn.

I would not let the watering left to someone that has to do the watering that does not have any basic knowledge or experience in watering them. I am sure they will just pour all seedlings out of the little pots when they have a go with the watering can. That would be your biggest risk!