Question
My split leaf is huge and lives in a pot in the SE corner or our sunroom and it loves it there.  It has become way too large and I need to cut it back and move the two plants into their own pots.  The 12" stems are about 3.5" in diameter and kind of resemble pineapples in appearance and there are about 15 branches coming out of the top of each one.  I know some of those leave need to be removed but have no clue what to do here.  I love my plant and look forward to many more years of enjoyment so it needs to survive the repotting.  Please give me some direction.  Thank you for your help.

Answer
I know this sounds severe, but you need to remove the plant from the pot, take the plant outdoors, and drive a spade through the middle. Place 3"-5" of a fertile potting mix at the bottom of the two new pots in which they will be planted, place the divided plants on top, and then backfill the plants with the potting soil to within 2" of the tops. Water deeply until the water seeps from the drainage holes.

The two new plants will suffer to a small degree from transplant shock, so you will not see new growth for several weeks. Once they do acclimate, normally 3-4 weeks after transplanting, go ahead and shape the plants by pruning the top 1/5 of each stem. This will stimulate the plant to produce new off-shoots and growth. Although it will take 2-3 months, the plants will eventually thrive. Just be sure to only water when the soil dries 2" below the soil. The worst thing you can do is overwater. Once the plant shows new growth, treat it as you did the parent plant.

I hope this answered your question. Please write again if I can ever provide assistance.

Regards,

Mike