My neighbour always lifts and splits his perpetual leek clump at the end of August and it’s not to get free plants

My neighbour always lifts and splits his perpetual leek clump at the end of August and it's not to get free plants

Every August, gardeners across cold climates perform the same mysterious ritual: ripping their perpetual leek clumps apart with bare hands and replanting the pieces. It looks wasteful and violent, but it’s actually the only way to prevent your leeks from strangling themselves into uselessness underground.