Beginner Gardening: Diffenbachia in dire straits! Now looks like bamboo!, 1 by mzad22

mzad22 wrote:
Well I can't give advice on how to grow a pretty Dieffenbachia (see picture below), but I have had mine for about 7 years and it still alive (about all I can say about it I guess...)

I don't repot mine all too often, every few years or so. It receives low light for the most part as it is in my bedroom. I let the soil get fairly dry before watering, and then I water it moderately. I don't really soak any of my plants as I have heard that it is always better to err on the dry side because of possible root rot. I fertilize every three months or so (really, I fertilize when I remember to, but I am getting better!). I also tried fertilizer spikes for a while and they also seemed fine for the plant.

If just bottom leaves are yellowing I think that is pretty normal. I just pick mine off. I know that you can also cut the cane to encourage branching if you don't like the bamboo stalk-like appearance. For some reason I have become too attached to my goofy plant to try this, although it did finally send out a new shoot by itself right from the bottom of the cane this year.

I have found it to be a fairly low maintenance plant. Maybe you just need to neglect yours a little bit more? Sorry I don't have any concrete answers, I am definitely not an expert but I just wanted to share what little experience I do have with the plant.