i know some people put them in clear Rubbermaid boxes and leave them for quite a while. I'm not sure they'd make it for 5 months but I know tightly sealed terrariums can go for 6 months without watering so it might work.

The rubbermaid boxes are a good idea.. and you could always take a leaf or two from each violet and stick them in pots in sealed bags... and in 5 months they would probably be pretty big babies. :-) Or maybe donate them to your local thrift store? :)

Or donate them to a local Senior Citizens' Center. Many towns and cities have Senior Centers where many ladies and gents go for lunch. They often have skills with plants. Even a school, teachers often will take them. (It is best to ask first.) I have also given violets and other plants to people who work in the florist department of my local grocery store and garden center store. I ask first. Or if there is any kind of business you go to often. Even a UPS store. The people will take them home or keep them at work. I have donated to all these kinds of places, and more. Neighbors, babysitters, almost anyone. You signed your post Black Thumb, so maybe you don't have too much experience with plants. It is unlikely they would survive being left that length of time. Best to donate them and start over when you are ready. Joanne

The terrarium idea has merit. But it is very tricky to get the amount of moisture and light just right. Too much and you come home to brown goop.

I'd combine the two suggestions above. Plant leaves in a very light mix and put them in separate sealed baggies. Give away the grown plants. Even if the leaves don't make it, you can beg a replacement from whomever you gave it to....

On another note, hearing (cheap) light timers can cause house fires, I'd be hesitant running them for five months straight. Not that there's a difference to going to work every day and having those timers running at home....

Karin

I have an idea- you only have a dozen, so go get one or two of those big clear sweater boxes. You might need one, I'm not sure how big your plants are. Get yarn, and wick the violets- there are so many different versions on how to wick violets on youtube. Basically stick yarn in the soil with a stick/crochet hook and allow it to hang in water- the yarn wicks up the water, self waters. Now- for the 'raised' part- to keep the violets out of the water, go to the dollar store/walmart/kmart and get cheap containers (they have several sizes with many in each package) make sure the violets can sit on the size plastic containers you choose. Then fill the plastic container with water, set the plastic containers in the clear box- the violets will sit on them in the water, allow the wick to hang in the water. That simple! :) Make sure you put the container by some sort of window that doesn't receive full light so the violets get diffused light. With many inches of water, the violets should be ok hopefully for the spring/summer. Try to fill it as much as possible, get high containers for them to sit on!

Good luck---

Deb

Deb, Do you think plants can last for five months with no water? I have known experienced growers who lost their plants when away for four weeks. She tried the bathtub and used wicking, but still lost her collection. I like all the suggestions provided because we will be away for one week. I am debating whether to have a plant sitter for some of them or not.

Joanne

Wow. Thanks! You all are great - wonderful ideas! You've made me keep thinking and have more questions.

For one thing, how long can a wick be and still work? I'm sure it is subject to the law of diminishing returns. In other words, how deep can the container be and still be useful?

I ask because I have several large plastic storage containers, the kind for storing winter clothes and quilts. They are quite deep and would, I think, provide enough water for the time period. I am sure I can create some platform for the pots to rest on. But if it wicking only works for 6-8 inches, then a deeper container doesn't provide any benefit. (If we covered this in chemistry class, I was daydreaming.)

Does anyone know if lamp wicking would work better?

As for light, I have a room in the basement that has window, so they wouldn't be in the dark all the time. I could also leave a fluorescent light on if that doesn't seem like enough. OR I also have a screened porch. I could put the containers and plants out there - that's where I left them the last time I had to be away for several weeks. But the temperature would not be as even as it would be in the basement.

And I am now planning to clip some leaves and taking them with me. My travel will allow me to take a container along 'til I reach my destination. That's a good fall-back idea.

Thanks to all.

I saw some Buckeye plants wicked on gallon containers so I think it could be quite deep

Melody,

That's exactly what I was thinking of larger containers--- and water as deep as possible around the containers in a sweater box. I imagined the deepest coleslaw or potato salad container you could buy for the violet's 'stand' in the water- and then fill that sweater box with as much water as you can- allowing the wicks to hang in the water, to make them withstand 5 months without adding water. It seems as though it's trying this- or them totally drying out and dying. At least this is an option. Wicks need to be acrylic yarn so they don't rot, cotton yarn rots. So lamp material- not really sure what's that is made of, and it might give them too much water at once if the material soaks up too much at one time, and that might make them rot. So, just go with acrylic cheap yarn. I know that works.. You want them to soak up water slowly. I wouldn't put them in an outdoor room. Too much air circulation will make the water evaporate. Just normal, household conditions/temps. By some sort of light- but not bright light.

I remember reading someone on a forum does this- but with wicking, and crate trays-filling the trays with water, and then wrapping in plastic the plant stand. And she's gone all summer if I remember correctly! She comes home to blooms! :)

Deb

Sue,

If you are interested in getting rid of them. I might be interested in paying the postage for you to ship them to me. Can you upload a pic of them?

I am kinda like the rest I don't think they will be alive when you get back that is a long period of time.i have someone come check an water my plants if I am just gone a couple of days.

Let me know what ya decide, just trying to help ya with more options.

Have a beautiful day!

Tammy

So helpful

I also could adopt if you are looking to re-home some of them.

I would be happy to pay postage for 2 leaves from each of them to expand my "collection"! Rosie

Thanks for all the offers! I have been really running - I have to leave days earlier that originally decided! I will have to go with what I have, which leads me to one more question:

I have several sizes of container. How far can water be wicked upwards? 12 inches? 24" 36"? Does anyone know? I have looked on the 'net but found no answers...

Oh Sue, is there no one at all that can at least look in on them? Wish I lived closer to you to help.

I think some of the wick suggestions are good. One other thing I would do is leave a fan on a timer just to circulate air. Or leave a ceiling fan on low. Hope things work out for you and your plants. Rosie