health Nutrient deficiency, spider mites, my own paranoia? What's wrong with my plants?

JesseS

JesseS

Hi, all! 
 
This is my first real post to the forum. I'm hoping someone can help a relative noob to understand what might be going on with these plants. I have several different varieties of super hots growing on my windowsill here in Los Angeles. I've been holding off on transplanting them into containers until the weather gets a little warmer in the evenings. Up until a couple of days ago, they were all doing quite well, some have already fruited while still in their plastic cup containers. However, a week or so ago, a few of the lowest and oldest leaves on some of my plants began to turn yellow and falling off at the slightest touch. 
 
I'm going to attempt to add pictures, but I'm such a noob, I hope this posts with the photos embedded. Wish me luck!
 
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At first I thought this was simply natural, however, more and more of these oldest leaves on an increasing number of my plants began to shed. 
 
I've also noticed these small black specks on several of my leaves but am unsure of what they are. Spider mites? Fungal? Bacterial? The closest thing that I found in my many google searches was spider mites, but I haven't noticed any webs or insects with the naked eye.
 
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I should point out, the damage to the green leaf in the picture above was caused by an unfortunate pinch while closing my blinds... 
 
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Below are the most dramatically effected leaves. One picture from the top, one from the bottom.
 
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For context: I am feeding hydroponically with flora micro and flora grow nutrients every other day. The plants are 2 feet tall or so and I'm sure they are desperate to be moved out of their tiny cup containers (something I am going to rectify this coming week). The four plants that I have already moved to 5 gallon buckets are not showing any of these symptoms. 
 
This morning, before growing increasingly nervous about the cause of the leaf loss, I purchased some calcium, magnesium, and iron supplement and added it to their watering regimen as I thought a deficiency might be the cause. 
 
Anyway, I am nervous for the future health of these little guys and despite a day of searching the web, I haven't found anything that looks quite like what I'm seeing on my plants. I'm hoping this forum might be able to help diagnose what's ailing them. I'd appreciate any suggestions!
 
Thanks so much!
 
 
Thanks for the heads up, Chilidude. I guess, I'll have to figure out what I did wrong. Ah, technology...
 
 
 
Those growing pots are way too small and they are running out of nutrients, also i see perhaps fertilizer burn in them too.
 
Thanks, man. I am definitely transplanting this week so they should all be re-homed into 5 gallon pots by friday. In the mean time, I'll cut back on the fertilizer.
 
Appreciate the advice!
 
 
 
Feeding every other day is over feeding.

Feed once a week and one watering in between each feed.

My feed day is Sunday....water only on Wed.

Allow to dry out before each watering and feeding.

Transplant asap.
 
Masher said:
Feeding every other day is over feeding.

Feed once a week and one watering in between each feed.

My feed day is Sunday....water only on Wed.

Allow to dry out before each watering and feeding.

Transplant asap.
 
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This
 
Thanks for the responses, guys.
 
Clueless Wanderer: I am not using Bloom at this point. I was hoping to hold off on encouraging them until after transplant but, based on your advice, I'll hit them with it for their next feeding.
 
Masher & Knotmyself: I've been wondering if I was overfeeding these guys ever since I started adding nutrients (after their 3rd set of true leaves), but I didn't see any negative effects until just this past week. I'll take your advice and cut feeding back to once a week. Regarding watering, I've been bottom watering these guys via the roots that have grown through the slots I cut in the bottom of one cup, and using the second cup they rest in as a reservoir. I typically add an inch or so of water every other day and I find the plants have sucked it up within 24 hours. I've always been afraid to push them for three days, because withing 48-50 hours many of them begin to wilt like crazy, but based on your advice I'll withhold the water. I'm guessing their dramatic reaction to a lack of water is probably related to their tiny homes at the moment.
 
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My 4 transplants are able to easily make 72 hours without watering.
 
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You guys rock! 
 
Thanks!
 
Clueless,
 
I'd be surprised if you didn't hear the reverberating *slap* of me face palming myself in embarrassment all the way down there in Australia. Thanks for pointing this out. This would definitely explain a potassium deficiency.
 
Thanks!
 
JesseS said:
Clueless,
 
I'd be surprised if you didn't hear the reverberating *slap* of me face palming myself in embarrassment all the way down there in Australia. Thanks for pointing this out. This would definitely explain a potassium deficiency.
 
Thanks!
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Glad I could help :)

FYI: I thought they worked like you did, but then I bought them and read the bottle ..about a week ago  :P   ..so your posting was perfect timing :)

 
Post some update pictures when they start recovering..
 
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