I had those exact same symptoms and I too had a certain insect probem - funky tiny light brown beetle looking things that ate away at the roots. I would check DAILY to see if they were gone, and make sure you used a NON-TOXIC killer.. I used an edible flower poison to kill them.. since they were IN the soil I soaked the top with the spray and then flushed the soil numerous times and they went away.. my plany Budded fine (those symptoms not occuring on the newer leaves) and it budded just fine, into a male, which will be mated soon =]

Good luck with the grow, and make SURE you killed anybasturds.. they'll eat or destroy the roots...