As far as the 12" pot is concerned, that would depend on how much plant/s you have in it. Generally sizing of pots with regard to how much soil feeds the plant within it can determine whether it is overfed or overwatered. The roots will go out into surrounding soil and nourished by much soil, it can cause problems. Right now tho, let's assume the pot is ideal for the number of plants yuo have in it. You have listed many common complaints about what happens to houseplants. Yellow leaves can come from: not enough or too much light; lack of or too much ferrilizer; nighttime temperatures that are too high---plants usually prefer cooler temps at night...in the range of 60º = 68º Overwatering is the biggest concern. When first sighting yellow leaves, if such persists in numbers, that should be your first thought...you are being too kind with the watering. A couple of yellowing leaves once in a while is of no conern...that commonly happens. They are just removed. Browning tips and edges can be clipped with scissors to keep the plant looking natural. But there again, browning tips and edges should be noted for what might be happening. Under or overwatering, too much sun or heat through a window, too much fertilizer, watering with a high degree of salts. (salts can come from the fertilizer) Then too, water that comes from a softening system should not ever be given plants. A tap outside of the system should be used. Another cause of problems is pests that are common to houseplants. Aphids (just like the ones on outdoor plants) meallybugs, whiteflies (again, like the ones outdoors), scale insects, thrips, and the one that seems to be the most found...spider mites. These cause different problems and are treated mostly different. The one treatment that is given most initially, is water. A hard stream can knock pests off. Soap and water solutions are also given and cause no problem to the plant if it doesn't solve the problem as long as soap is not allowed to remain on the plant. You can read many articles on such treatments. Make sure your pot drains well. When you water, water to drainage, let the water drain out thoroughly, then dump what's in the saucer below. Don't let the water sit else it can be drawn back up around the roots.

greattigerdane, from your description I visualise an older plant with a single cane reaching up some 8' or more with leaves attached on the upper half only. The plant is probably in a 14" container and likely to be pot-bound and its 'metabollic rate' is comparatively slow. I must say that I have never seen a single stalk that tall. Have a close look and if there are "sideshoots", you should be able to cut back them with no serious setback. I often see new and vibrant growth on older canes which have been cut back near the top. Two shoots, on opposite sides of the stalk been selected to continue its growth and fullness at the top. If not, my experience has been that it is not good for a plant to have its roots and top(s) pruned at the same time. I would try to stimulate growth by cautiously root pruning and/or manipulating the growing conditions like temperature, light or even fertilizer. I would then air-layer the plant in the area where the leafy top begins. This will favor (I wanted to say ensure) the 'continuity' of the mother plant and a side-benefit might be the development of dormant buds below the air layer. It will be a slow process. I have tried the above and after some four months there are roots in the air-layer and there is a 'swelling' of one or two buds near the soil line in one pot, on the canes which I had cut back to about 6". I expect things will speed up from here on. I set sections of the cut off canes but they rotted, mainly because I did not use a conducive medium. I expect that your neighbor wants to keep the original plant alive and rejuvenated. Many people do because they like the tree-trunk appearance near the base. I have to confess a measure of indifference to that but this may be due to a deficiency in my artistic appreciation.

The advice not to water your JC was way off..if the soil was dry, it should have been given a drink. JC is one of the easiest dracaenas around..And fast-growing, too. I agree it needs more light..is there anyway you can set closer to the window/s? Even a bright north would do fine. (if plant is sitting in window) 25' away from a window is low-low light. Other than mushrooms, I doubt plants will grow/thrive so far away. How about artificial lighting? Is there any above? Toni

JHC - For the sake of accuracy - the most common cause of spoiled foliage on dracaena and all other plants we so often discuss here is over-watering, often exacerbated by a high level of solubles (salts) in the soil, both of which regularly accompany the use of overly water-retentive soils. ALL fertilizers and ALL tap water carry with them the certainty that solubles will build up in the soil if poor watering habits are used - not just synthetic soluble ("chemical") fertilizers. 65-75* temperatures are ideal for most houseplants and are not the cause of spoiled foliage. Even though I allow water to rest overnight to come to room temperature before I water indoor plants, I have never found anything credible or anyone who should know (I'd asked a lot of people with plant related degrees) that would agree cold water 'shocks' plants. That I have always watered houseplants summering outdoors with cold water directly from the hose with no sign of problems supports the probability that the cold water thing is a myth, yet I still let irrigation water sit out night for plants over-wintering indoors - but NOT with the thought that it helps with chlorine/fluorine dissipation. Lol - I have no explanation for WHY I do this, other than habit, and perhaps because I'd rather have everything in place & ready to go when it's time to water instead of procrastinating. Hopefully, you'll find some value in this link that gives a basic overview that will help you avoid most of the things that bring people here seeking resolution to common problems. This link goes into a considerable amount of detail in outlining a concept that will help you get a feel for the fact that your choice of soil is extremely important in determining how easy/difficult it will be to get your plants to grow as close to their genetic potential as possible. Some soils are so limiting they make it extremely difficult, even for experienced growers, to obtain results that offer a satisfying return for the effort expended. Al