The gardeners around here cut them into 1' balls and they live but look hideous with the half dead half live ball and new fresh leaves sticking up like a pin cushion. I cut the leaves on fans I was transplanting to 4" and they all survived but proper way of treating these plants is to divide when over crowded and pull out individual dead leaves to groom.

Well I started to thin out the plants. I still have more to go, but looks better.

Looks good.