During autumn and winter many plants, especially perennials, can be divided. They include agapanthus, orchids, bergenias and Japanese windflowers. Use the new plants around the garden, give them to friends, or pot them up and take them along to the local fete to sell.

Don demonstrated how to divide a clump of dwarf white agapanthus with an axe! He just placed the rootball on the chopping block, chopped it to pieces, trimmed the roots and then potted up each piece. As you watched this segment you were probably shocked, but as Don explained, this is a perfectly good method to use to divide plants. The main thing to remember is that you must make clean cuts. You can use a sharp knife, a tomahawk or an axe. Plants are damaged when you try to prune or divide them with blunt tools, such as an old pair of secateurs, because this bruises their tissues.

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