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		Root Division - Perennials Foot Print - A healthy perennial increases its footprint, i.e., the space it occupys in the garden bed during every growing season. Eventually that foot print and roots congests with either itself or other plants. The result is leggier plants with fewer blooms. I can't give anyone a hard and fast rule for the time to divide specific plants since plant spacing in the garden bed is the determining factor. But if your perennials seem to be choking on each other, it may be time to divide.
				Procedure - 1. Dig up the plant being relatively careful to get as many roots as possible. You'll see multiple stalks and a large root mass at this point;   2. With a sharp spade or knife, cut from the soil surface through to the bottom of the root mass. You will be getting new, plantable clumps of from 1 to 10 new plants depending on the size of the original clump;   3. Plant the new plants where ever you want them to be and enjoy your many new blooms in future seasons.
			Two popular perennials on the Vineyard especially susceptible to requiring division every few years are day lilies and hostas.