NEIL Sedaka once sang that "breakin’ up is hard to do" - he clearly wasn’t talking about garden plants at the time (I suspect) but for many people the idea that splitting/breaking/separating plants is difficult is a myth that needs busting, writes TOM ATTWOOD.

Clearly, there are some plants that by a crude separation down the middle would end in disaster.

Woody shrubs for example that are best propagated by a variety of alternative methods cannot be divided, nor can trees.

When any gardener or garden book refers to the splitting or dividing of garden plants then it would be with a plant such as an rudbekia, aster or an ornamental yarrow (achillea).

These plant types are collectively referred to as herbaceous perennials.

There are thousands of herbaceous perennials you can lift and divide now and replant to give you masses more plant material.

If you develop an insatiable appetite for reproducing plants in this way you may be best to open a nursery!

Not every herbaceous perennial can be divided but those that can tend to have certain characteristics that will give you strong pointers as to whether they’re suitable or not.

Masses of fibrous roots with multiple shoots on the surface of the soil or compost is a good start as opposed to tap roots or one or two main stems and very little in between.

Now is a good time to scour nurseries and garden centres for plants that are in need of dividing, some will be last season’s stock or are very vigorous and would relish the extra growing space.

Many of the hardy grasses can be divided now provided they don’t grow from a central point like many of the carex or pennisetum which are best left alone to avoid creating weak individuals.

If you’ve got a large space to fill then this is the logical step to take to give you that material.

Next week I’ll look at some specific and straightforward methods to try.