"Ramification Techniques," from Cartagena Bonsai.

Sergio Martínez's graphic for his post.

     Two weeks ago, Paul Stokes at ofBonsai asked me to translate a post from the blog of Sergio Martínez, owner of Cartagena Bonsai in the city of the same name on Spain's Mediterranean coast. I enjoy translating bonsai-related items, and usually learn something in the process, so I was happy to fit it in when I had a chance.

Mr. Martínez gives a good explanation of clip-and-grow, with plenty of pictures that clarify any questions very nicely. Wiring he leaves for another post. More important, though, he goes into some of the underlying concepts which a bonsaiist needs to consider when deciding on an approach to a given project. One example: the design one wants to execute needs to be considered when deciding whether to rely more on wiring or on clip-and-grow, just as truly as the species's characteristics do.

For Mr. Martínez's original Spanish post, please click here.

For the English translation, please click here.

Let me leave you with another of Mr. Martínez's pictures from this article, to whet your interest.

Mr. Martínez's plan for a bunjin olive (Olea europaea.)

And by the way, and completely unrelated to bonsai: I learned that the city of Cartagena is more than 2200 years old and was founded by Hasdrubal Barca, brother-in-law to the famous Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca who gave the Romans such a hard time.

:-)  :-)  :-)