Growing kava - leaves dying off

[Tomas Pluskal]

Hi!
I have been trying to cultivate kava plants in Boston area, with poor success. Although the plants initially grow well and have a lot of new shoots, soon after the shoots develop into leaves, they start dying off (as in the right plant below). Many of the shoots also die off before even developing into leaves.
I know kava requires warm temperature and humidity, so I cultivate them indoors and I placed a humidifier next to the plants. They get light from LED lights above for 16 hours per day. The LED lights are slightly shaded with a mesh, to avoid direct shining on the plants.
I planted the plants in a mix of soil and perlite, with added fertilizer and a bit of mulch on top, to maintain moisture.
Anyone has advice how to improve the condition of the plants?
Thanks,

Tomas

 

[The Kap'n]

@Gourmet Hawaiian Kava

^^This man will be able to answer your question. I've tagged him so he will see this post

 

[Jerome]

I tried back in the nineties and my novice horticultural problem was over watering and poor soil drainage.

 

[violet]

If they're not enclosed in something you should try bagging them. Mine did that last year and fully came back after tenting plastic around it, taped it to the pot.

 

[Tomas Pluskal]

It's not going to suffocate if I wrap it tightly in plastic?

 

[Edward]

Is Boston too far north? I would have thought the climate would make a difference?

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

Inside it shouldn't tho. Cannabis is grown indoors in very northern climates, it also is technically getting more and more used to it.. and "wild" cannabis does not do as well indoor at all, but after a few generations they seem to do fine

 

[August West]

Leaf curl can happen from spider mites. That upward curl happened on my Angel's trumpet when it got infested. Look closely on the underside of those leaves, or get a magnifying glass. Also if a plant's leaves arent moving from wind(or a fan) hotspots are created and the leaves can burn and curl under lights. I doubt that's the problem since you're using LED's, since there isn't a lot of heat.

Maybe get a spray bottle and mist those puppies a couple times a day. Misting was crucial when I was rooting my cuttings. Also enclosing them would help keep the humidity up. Just make sure your roots don't get constant wet feet, if you go that route

 

[Plantman]

My piper auritum has a same kind of necrosis in leafs if it doesnt get enough light. If I leave it a week without growing light in winter and dry air makes it worse.
I grow lots of vegetables every summer. In my experience, young plants rarely need extra fertilizers if they get potting soil. leafs edges easily start to dry and die if too much nutrients. I would use only potting soil. Young plants do not have resistance to harmful pests and diceases found in normal garden soil.
One problem can be that roots are too cold. Soil vaporates moisture and gets colder. In winter, floors can be cold too.