Thanks Ken - this is very helpful. I picked it out from a store in the flower district in NYC and they delivered it wrapped up. When it came it didn't seem to have any of these issues, they all have sort of developed slowly over the last month or so.

Could these have been caused before/during that movement, and then taken a few weeks to show effect? I just want to make sure these aren't specific signs of bugs/disease (which you mentioned doesn't seem the case to you) or a function of over/under-watering and/or not enough light?

And for your question about light, the photo was taken during a period of low light, but if you had any advice for signs to look out for that would indicate not enough light specifically, I'd be appreciative.

Thanks again for your help and insight!

When too much water in the grow medium limits the availability of oxygen, it becomes very difficult for the plant to take up Ca, a nutrient essential to normal cell wall formation. When the cell walls later fail and its contents dry out, it leaves holes and tears in the leaves. Also, leaves that emerge when humidity is at or beyond the limits the plant is programmed to tolerate, the still closed leaves tend to stick to themselves, which also causes tears in the leaf. Necrotic leaf tips and margins are also symptoms consistent with but not exclusive to over-watering.

I suggest you start using a "tell" to "tell" you when it's time to water instead of a finger check of the top inch or two of the soil and watering when it feels dry. That is widely given advice that will almost always lead to over-watering when pots are deeper than about 5". The only time it wouldn't be a recipe for over-watering would be when the grower understands the severe limitations imposed by over-watering and has adopted a strategy that takes it out of play. See "tell" below.

Using a 'tell'

Over-watering saps vitality and is one of the most common plant assassins, so learning to avoid it is worth the small effort. Plants make and store their own energy source – photosynthate - (sugar/glucose). Functioning roots need energy to drive their metabolic processes, and in order to get it, they use oxygen to burn (oxidize) their food. From this, we can see that terrestrial plants need plenty of air (oxygen) in the soil to drive root function. Many off-the-shelf soils hold too much water and not enough air to support the kind of root health most growers would like to see; and, a healthy root system is a prerequisite to a healthy plant.

Watering in small sips leads to avoid over-watering leads to a residual build-up of dissolved solids (salts) in the soil from tapwater and fertilizer solutions, which limits a plant's ability to absorb water – so watering in sips simply moves us to the other horn of a dilemma. It creates another problem that requires resolution. Better, would be to simply adopt a soil that drains well enough to allow watering to beyond the saturation point, so we're flushing the soil of accumulating dissolved solids whenever we water; this, w/o the plant being forced to pay a tax in the form of reduced vitality, due to prolong periods of soil saturation. Sometimes, though, that's not a course we can immediately steer, which makes controlling how often we water a very important factor.

In many cases, we can judge whether or not a planting needs watering by hefting the pot. This is especially true if the pot is made from light material, like plastic, but doesn't work (as) well when the pot is made from heavier material, like clay, or when the size/weight of the pot precludes grabbing it with one hand to judge its weight and gauge the need for water.

Fingers stuck an inch or two into the soil work ok for shallow pots, but not for deep pots. Deep pots might have 3 or more inches of soil that feels totally dry, while the lower several inches of the soil is 100% saturated. Obviously, the lack of oxygen in the root zone situation can wreak havoc with root health and cause the loss of a very notable measure of your plant's potential. Inexpensive watering meters don't even measure moisture levels, they measure electrical conductivity. Clean the tip and insert it into a cup of distilled water and witness the fact it reads 'DRY'.

One of the most reliable methods of checking a planting's need for water is using a 'tell'. You can use a bamboo skewer in a pinch, but a wooden dowel rod of about 5/16” (75-85mm) would work better. They usually come 48” (120cm) long and can usually be cut in half and serve as a pair. Sharpen all 4 ends in a pencil sharpener and slightly blunt the tip so it's about the diameter of the head on a straight pin. Push the wooden tell deep into the soil. Don't worry, it won't harm the root system. If the plant is quite root-bound, you might need to try several places until you find one where you can push it all the way to the pot's bottom. Leave it a few seconds, then withdraw it and inspect the tip for moisture. For most plantings, withhold water until the tell comes out dry or nearly so. If you see signs of wilting, adjust the interval between waterings so drought stress isn't a recurring issue.

Al

Do you have a cat?

No, I don't have any pets

I concurr with Ken; it looks like mechanical damage, and nothing to worry about.

Are you sure there was no cat?