HELP! Leaves at the bottom have spots, tips are burnt, base of the stem has boils

[sandman]

I am a first time grower. Plant is about 3-4 weeks old. I started with normal red soil and treated it with vermicompost, bone meal and epsom salt. Please see images for the same.

Bone Meal: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....L._SL1207_.jpg
Vermicompost: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....L._SL1500_.jpg

Problem 1: Since about the second week, I noticed that the leaves at the bottom were get discoloured and burnt at the tips. This week I noticed that the same leaves at the bottom were developing black spots. Initially, I thought that the leaf burn could have been due to excessive watering, which I subsequently reduced. But now I am wondering if its due to excessive fertilizer.

Image: Photo 1

Problem 2: From about the 3rd week I noticed that, the base of the stem was developing boils or nodules. I have no clue if that is normal.

Image: Photo 2

Problem 3: I am not sure if the plant is male or female.

Image: Photo 3

Image 4 is just a nice picture of the entire plant.

Any other comments about the plant or its health is most welcome.

[duckman]

first thing I noticed was the lack of perlite in the soil...if the mix is too dense they're not getting the oxygen they need, symptoms similar to overwatering...maybe dry her out for a few days...

[9fingerleafs]

right on the money, i think the soil looks like clay, beside those pots let no air into the roots, maybe a transplant into a fabric pot/bag with softer soil will help

[sandman]

If i dont water for a few days, the top starts drooping and i give it some water it straightens again.

[duckman]

when you give the plant water you are also giving the plant the oxygen in the fresh water but when that fresh oxygen is used up in a day or two you're back again to not enough oxygen available 'cause the soil is too dense...I would go with 9fingerleafs suggestion to repot if possible using about 30% perlite in the mix. don't forget to monitor pH, very important! and good luck...

[9fingerleafs]

btw the plant looks to be female, i just learned in another topic about root knot nematodes and sound like that https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root-knot_nematode

[Sww]

It looks like nute burn from the excessive organic matter but pale from the lack of broke down available food.

[sandman]

Thanks guys. I have removed some of the fertilizer from the top soil, which has exposed some on the roots for now. Also i read somewhere, that those white nodules on the stem could be new roots, which when covered with soil will grow fully (The reason I think this is the case, is because the now exposed roots dont seem to have any such nodules). I am also planning to get some sand from the beach and some fine gravel and mix it with the mud, so that the soil is not so dense. Lets see how it goes.

[9fingerleafs]

if you can find a few small rocks you can fill your bottom couple of inches of your pot with them and it will drain better and get air into the pot. you gotta make sure the rocks are packed together with lots of paths for the water to drain out

[9fingerleafs]

like this, just in case you have no acces to better soil