First time growing, so confused!

[Siobahn]

As the title suggests, it's my first time growing.
Everything started off very well but took a turn for the worse 3 weeks ago as I headed off on vacation.

I was going to be away from home for 12 days so I watered 2 days before leaving then again the day I left.
When I returned, the bottom set of leaves was doing what you see in the picture. I trimmed these off.
Same with the second set and now the third set and only remaining large leaves are doing the same.

At first I thought overwintering, possibly nutrient burn since I think the water jug I used was also my tomato nutrient jug of water.

I let it dry out for about a week. Started suspecting root rot since it's no longer growing really. Thought also occured that it might be root bound since it was only in a 10x10" pot.
I potted up to a 5 gallon bucket, soil was very moist but nothing smelled funny.
It's been one week now, not much growth, it no longer stinks up the basement bedroom, and the third set of true leaves is dying off and all that remains are tiny leaves.
Yes I know I need to clean up a little but I'm leaving all the other leaves in place for now since the main ones seem to be just dying.

Thanks Seamaiden for the diagnostic guide/chart. I'm however still right lost and confused.
I'm torn between deficiency and burn. As well as over watering, and maybe even got root bound but I doubt that.

Can it be saved? And how?

For reference, it's under 500w light, in a closet (door opens during the day, closed at night), 18 hours light, 6 hour rest, small fan on it while the light is on.

Thanks

 

[Beachwalker]

Does it look like this to you?

 

[Siobahn]

Certainly does. Also falls in line with Seamaidens guide.
An option I hadn't even considered since I was so focused on what I thought it was.

None of the images I'd seen prior really seemed the same but this one certainly does.
Will give it a shot and a huge thanks.

 

[Beachwalker]

Certainly does. Also falls in line with Seamaidens guide.
An option I hadn't even considered since I was so focused on what I thought it was.

None of the images I'd seen prior really seemed the same but this one certainly does.
Will give it a shot and a huge thanks.

Yes unfortunately you have a long laundry list of things that could haved caused it, so I don't believe it's a simple potassium deficiency

if I'm honest I'm not going to be able to reread your initial post right now but in the morning I'll take a look at what you said above more carefully and maybe post something further, good luck

 

[Beachwalker]

Shit I was hoping somebody else would chime in so I could quietly skate away cuz this is a complex one..

First of all it wasn't rootbound there are times when you should up pot for various reasons but this was not one of them, so there's possibly some transplant shock, possibly root damage going on for one thing

So when you came home to the likely dried out plant I suspect there was already the underlying issue which manifested with the additional stresses brought on by your 12-day vacation

I suspect this underlying issue that manifested during your absence, and may have been caused by chronic, and then the acute overwatering right before you went away, which can cause the issue you're seeing

Before I suggest how to proceed I'd like you to take a soil slurry test; take a tablespoon of soil and 2 tablespoons of either distilled or ro water, not tap water, mix the two together Stir It Well and in 15 minutes record your pH and PPM and post the results

 

[Siobahn]

Thanks again. And please don't feel obligated to answer. lol.

Unfortunately I live a good 200km from town so it'll be a few days before I'm able to pickup a test kit.
Will post the results once I have them though.

 

[Beachwalker]

Thanks again. And please don't feel obligated to answer. lol.

Unfortunately I live a good 200km from town so it'll be a few days before I'm able to pickup a test kit.
Will post the results once I have them though.

I was just kidding I'm glad to help! a slurry is not a test kit all you need is distilled or RO water and I explained it above

but absent of that I believe your plant is suffering from chronic over-watering which manifested with the added stress you put on it during the vacation

The best way to learn to properly water a plant in soil with a wet/dry cycle is:

Fill up a pot the same size your using with the same medium mix your using and set it aside *dry

when you think you want to water a plant pick it up and if it weighs exactly the same as the pot you've set aside *dry then water it

if not do not water it until it weighs exactly the same as the dry pot some people even use a scale I don't believe that's necessary if you do this simple step you learn in no time how to water a plant properly, good luck!

Ps. The reason I mentioned a slurry test was to find out if you needed to flush or not, and whether a soil pH adjustment would be needed, and without knowing the slurry results it would be a guess, maybe some others have an opinion?

Conversely and alternative might be start another seed it would very likely catch up and pass this plant because it's going to need a lot of rehab if in fact you do decide to work with it