Bird of Paradise leaves a bit "deformed"

[AlexDGreen]

I don't know why, but new leaves seem a bit deformed. Here are some more details:

• I've had it for 6 months,
  • Been watering it when needed, once a month, saturating until water filtered out,
  • Does not sit in standing water,
• I fertilized it twice, not over doing it,
• There are no bugs from what I can see,
• The leaves are strong, green and seem healthy - just deformed,
• It looks like it's more deformed than curling,
• It has never been outside,
• I only water when it's dry enough,
• It's in front of east facing window
• I do have LED plant lights on it for 12 hours a day

Thanks

 

[oneeye]

Malformed leaves and curling foliage can and usually caused by sucking insects such as scale and mites. Take a magnifier with a good light and make sure your plant doesn't have a infestation of mites.

If no bugs, then what kind of water are you using? What kind of fertilizer and how much?

 

[AlexDGreen]

I checked for bugs. There are none. I assume that if there were, it would have gotten worse, but this is how the leaves opened and stayed in the same way.

I use regular tap water. It's not hard - Michigan water.

I use natural liquid fertilizer but the issue started before I fertilized for the first time.

Someone said I didn't water enough. I think I do. I even got a moisture meter to confirm when they need watering.

Alex

 

[oneeye]

Moisture meters are misleading and not accurate and can give mis-readings. If you didn't allow any water to come out of the bottom holes, then under watering could be your problem. After you allow the top inch to dry, water until you get just a little discharge in the drain tray, but don't leave it setting in a tray of water.
88% of the US has Hard Water and for good reason too. If tap water isn't treated and the pH allowed to be acidic many problems would occur. Heavy metals would leach from the pipes in our drinking systems and poison everyone over the long term. The state has to make it alkaline and buffer it, to keep it from burning the lining in babies stomachs. Michigan water is treated like all the other states due to federal laws that make water hard. Just use Rain or RO or filtered because it may not be your problem but using clean water is good practice..