One of the greatest rewards from gardening with perennials is that one plant can be made into two, or four, or even 10, through a process called propagation. When most gardeners think of propagation, they think of propagation by division, the simplesttechnique for making more plants. Division involves separating the root mass and adjoining top growth of one perennial that has been growing for three or more years into smaller sections of root mass and top growth. Some gardeners display separation techniques that border on magic. Years ago I spotted a neat variety of hosta in a nursery display garden. The owner discovered he had no more potted specimens, so he grabbed a perennial fork, and dug up the display clump. A bubbling hose appeared, and in about 10 seconds, through some horticultural sleight of hand involving a sharp stream of water and a stern shaking and rolling of the clump, a dozen perfect hostas appeared.
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