Cardamom Culture

My cardamom plant has had yellow lower leaves with brownish tips since it arrived. The upper leaves are greener, but the plant has not put out any discernible new growth, except for a sucker-like shoot near the base. Is this normal? What are its water requirements?

Cardamom likes rich, moist soil that is slightly acid. The shoot you see coming out of the base is the new plant that will replace the slowly dying old shoot. Don't cut off the old shoot until it is completely dry to allow the new shoot to draw as much nutrients from it as possible for as long as possible.
Cardamom likes a well-drained evenly moist soil, but can tolerate even a swamp!