I have numerous pineapple plants, but 2 of them did not grow like the rest - the main central part of the plant did not thrive and instead new shoots grew up the sides. In one case it's a single new plant, but in the other it was THREE new plants. All the dead leaves from the original have been removed, but now it's a great big cluster of three plants. They are beginning to seriously crowd each other.

Should I separate them? Someone told me that it will stop growing if I don't. Do I just carefully cut them apart? When is the best time - in the spring when they have nice warm weather and bright sun outside?