thx for yer thoughts lipps - I like the suggestion of lowering the water's ph but I'm less convinced that ph is the culprit. the plant is in a yard of soil - half of it is above ground in a raised box and the other half is below ground which is clay. so I think there is certainly potential for the soil to be waterlogged - which is why I haven't been excited to try flushing it. I also like the idea of a kelp spray - I've never tried it before. cheers