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Post by daylilydude on Jun 29, 2014 5:11:14 GMT -5
elliemater, " plastic straw trick"?? Do tell us about this... it sounds like something a few of us could use...
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elliemater
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Post by elliemater on Jun 29, 2014 8:38:02 GMT -5
elliemater, " plastic straw trick"?? Do tell us about this... it sounds like something a few of us could use... Every year that I tried to grow corn the cutworms (we have regular cutworms and climbing cutworms here...the climbing ones act like tomato hornworms and get just about as big) would mow them down. I can't use diatomaceous earth effectively here, it is too humid.
I tried cardboard collars and the cutworms either climbed up from within or went over the sides. I tried wrapping stems with newspaper etc but they didn't give me a chance. The seedlings were too small to tolerate wrapping well...and also I ended up with cardboard collars and newspaper everywhere in our spring storms. I was considering sandpaper discs but, again, you have to have a sprout to put them around.
Saw a trick where you cut plastic drinking straws into lengths and slit up the side, then slip over the stem. The seedling wears these until outgrown, when they just pop off. Trick here is just starting the corn in seedling flats and transplanting it. So I did that. Transplanting didn't tear the roots either.
And, if you know me at all, you know that I can't use boring clear straws...
Intact roots on transplants:
And now you can see that I have a nice little mini-block of corn nearly ready for the raccoons to destroy:
I hear that raccoons make a terrible mess of the corn so I will lay out for them some of the better quality paper napkins (Chinet) and those little plastic skewer handles to hold the cobs with...
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Post by daylilydude on Jun 29, 2014 11:51:08 GMT -5
elliemater, " plastic straw trick"?? Do tell us about this... it sounds like something a few of us could use... Every year that I tried to grow corn the cutworms (we have regular cutworms and climbing cutworms here...the climbing ones act like tomato hornworms and get just about as big) would mow them down. I can't use diatomaceous earth effectively here, it is too humid.
I tried cardboard collars and the cutworms either climbed up from within or went over the sides. I tried wrapping stems with newspaper etc but they didn't give me a chance. The seedlings were too small to tolerate wrapping well...and also I ended up with cardboard collars and newspaper everywhere in our spring storms. I was considering sandpaper discs but, again, you have to have a sprout to put them around.
Saw a trick where you cut plastic drinking straws into lengths and slit up the side, then slip over the stem. The seedling wears these until outgrown, when they just pop off. Trick here is just starting the corn in seedling flats and transplanting it. So I did that. Transplanting didn't tear the roots either.
And, if you know me at all, you know that I can't use boring clear straws...
Intact roots on transplants:
And now you can see that I have a nice little mini-block of corn nearly ready for the raccoons to destroy:
I hear that raccoons make a terrible mess of the corn so I will lay out for them some of the better quality paper napkins (Chinet) and those little plastic skewer handles to hold the cobs with...
Great idea... Thank you... this is why I love gardening forums, I would have never seen or heard about this ... and yes, I will use this next year on my corn. Ummm... they would prolly like a lil pad of butter...
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elliemater
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Post by elliemater on Jun 29, 2014 15:26:51 GMT -5
daylilydude I will only go so far for them...it's BYOB (bring your own butter!).
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jun 29, 2014 22:47:53 GMT -5
I noticed my first eggplants forming - two about 3" long, on my EB ichiban. I also noticed that the EB hari eggplant is now larger than the ichiban, even though it started out slower, both there and in the ground. Maybe it was just this heat they were waiting for!
I may have to harvest my garlic early, as we are supposed to get MORE rain this week, and the ground is not drying out. They are starting to get some brown, and we are set for more rain Wed. & Thurs., and I don't want it to be muddy again. Shallots I'm not as worried about, but I may harvest those at the same time, as they seemed fairly large when I checked them out.
Peppers are doing great, with this heat, and I noticed a bunch of puya peppers today, about 2" long. New variety to me, so I'm not sure what I'll be getting, but it's nice that they're early.
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Post by timothyt on Jun 30, 2014 3:51:41 GMT -5
elliemater, " plastic straw trick"?? Do tell us about this... it sounds like something a few of us could use... And, if you know me at all, you know that I can't use boring clear straws...
Intact roots on transplants:
And now you can see that I have a nice little mini-block of corn nearly ready for the raccoons to destroy:
I hear that raccoons make a terrible mess of the corn so I will lay out for them some of the better quality paper napkins (Chinet) and those little plastic skewer handles to hold the cobs with...
Well that sure protects and "pretties" up those corn seedlings! And a lot cuter than a "Stick Forest"! <grin>
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elliemater
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Post by elliemater on Jun 30, 2014 6:55:38 GMT -5
I hear that raccoons make a terrible mess of the corn so I will lay out for them some of the better quality paper napkins (Chinet) and those little plastic skewer handles to hold the cobs with...
Well that sure protects and "pretties" up those corn seedlings! And a lot cuter than a "Stick Forest"! <grin> I think I told you once before what happens to those who make fun of the Stick Forest....and I see it came true. Look at your avatar! All of the hair on top of your head fell off and landed under your nose! heee......
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Post by horsea on Jun 30, 2014 12:33:14 GMT -5
Brilliant idea for protecting the corn. Cutworms don't eat our corn here, but they sure go for everything else. Even if you put plastic collars from yogurt containers around the cucs, it is not uncommon for the cutworms to be already there; they just have a cute cozy fence to look at while they chomp. Pepperhead said: "I may have to harvest my garlic early, as we are supposed to get MORE rain this week, and the ground is not drying out. They are starting to get some brown, and we are set for more rain Wed. & Thurs., and I don't want it to be muddy again."
Hey, are you having a wet year too? It has barely stopped raining here for the past 2 months, with an almighty storm a day ago. I spend my time placing coarse wheatstraw on the paths between the raised beds - but there has been so much rain that even some of the raised beds aren't raised enough, and things are turning yellow from sitting in the wet mud. That's gardening, folks!
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Post by stratcat on Jun 30, 2014 23:48:35 GMT -5
We're finally having some warm nights. As the temps stayed in the 70's Saturday night followed by Sunday morning rain, it was amazing how much the tomatoes and peppers grew! Got out and tied up tomato plants for a long time. Put in some short stakes on my few peppers and on some dwarf tomatoes. Took the few remaining plants from the house outside and turned off the lighted plant stand. That was Sunday.
On Monday, lots more tying of the tomatoes as we had a great chance of severe weather. Crammed two of my F2 tomato plants in the pea patch. I had noticed on Sunday that they each finally had a growing tip. Also, I found one of my dwarf tomatoes in its cup and potted it. My 2013 Purira pepper finally has its first leaf coming out today. It lost its leaves in the house this year.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jul 1, 2014 11:41:23 GMT -5
Most of the tomato plants are on their last legs - right on schedule for early July here. Each plant has one to a few fruit that I hope will ripen successfully.
There are a couple of exceptions. Amelia is healthy and is putting on a nice new flush of fruit since I picked the last batch. I have some baby Healani clones (cuttings from Mom's plant) that are doing well, also. Black Cherry may make it a while longer yet, though it is not taking summer with the same aplomb as SunSugar has in years past. Oddly, Siberian Tiger looks like death warmed over yet is setting fruit steadily and somehow has the energy to grow and ripen them. Could the stems be photosynthesizing? It sure doesn't seem to have enough healthy leaves to be producing.
My peppers, on the other hand, are doing beautifully. (Hopefully they won't start having more trouble when the tomatoes are gone and the stinkbugs move over.) I have a plastic grocery store bag of ripe bells on the kitchen table and I haven't even checked the plants today - I bet there are more to pick. The next batch of Tiburon are almost ready, the Tabascos are ready to pick, and the next flush of jalepenos is coming along nicely.
The Garden Sunshine plants are starting to ripen up their second flush also. I have learned that I don't like the Garden Sunshine peppers when green. They don't taste like green bells - they are sort of bitter and just don't have a good flavor at all. Blech. So I leave them on the plant until they either ripen or go bad and end up in the compost bin. When ripe they are pretty tasty, but not as good as my bells. They are beautiful when blushing yellow/orange/red, but I think I will grow something else next time - maybe some paprika types? I have never grown those.
The NuMex Orange Suave I tried was not as good as I had hoped. I was expecting more flavor and it was bland. There was no heat at all in the flesh at the blossom end but it was almost has hot as a mild jalepeno in the pith around the seeds. More than 500 Scovilles, maybe 2500? Not too hot for me to use, but again, there was just not much taste. I will try leaving the next ones on for a few days after they change color. They may need more time to develop their flavor. If not, maybe they will make good pickled pepper rings? They will be pretty in jars, at least.
The younger pepper plants (Shishito, more bells, Hungarian Black, Golden Treasure) are setting little peppers.
Emerald and Hill Country Red okras are about to start blooming. I am getting a pod here and there off Burgundy Red okra.
My mystery grapes will be ripe soon. I ordered a Victorio plus the grape spiral attachment. They should be here later this week. In the past I have mashed the grapes with a potato masher while cooking and then pressed them through a sieve by hand to get juice for making jelly. Pressing the grapes through the seive is the part of jelly-making that I dread. It is soooooo time consuming and my hands ache afterwards. Hopefully the Victorio will let me skip that and really speed up processing the grapes.
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Post by timothyt on Jul 1, 2014 12:40:01 GMT -5
Hey Laura! Can't say Garden Sunshine has been high on my list either. NM Orange Suave has been hit or miss for flavor and production year to year for me. And I'd be delighted to pawn off, ummm...I mean share, some of my favorite paprika seeds with you this Fall! Is your Hungarian Black the same as Black Hungarian?
Anywho, Pepper and Garden On young lady!
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Post by timothyt on Jul 1, 2014 13:00:12 GMT -5
And today on July 1st brings two 1st! One good, one bad.
The Good: The 1st of my regular or "non cross" maters to ripen this season! Nope, it wasn't even a cherry nor an early variety. It was 2 fruit from Red Heart Dwarf! (Thanks Stratcat!) Seeded 3/21, planted in 5 gallon bucket 5/5. So 101 days from seed and 57 days from planting!(if my math is any good) 2 more blushing!
The Bad: Memorial services held for 1st mater plant casualty of the season. A F2 cross of Black Seaman x Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye regular leaf went down quick (4 days)to bacterial wilt. Funny thing is--the BSMxPBTD(F2) Potato Leaf in same 15 gallon container still looking good!?! Mmmm.
Win some, Lose some!
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Post by stratcat on Jul 1, 2014 22:57:47 GMT -5
Tuesday was still hot and humid for the most part. Of course, I checked my plants but I didn't get out to garden 'til late in the afternoon. The first coneflower has blossomed. One of my three cosmos was eaten. Mice, again? Did some deadheading and fed the flowers. The tomatoes are growing fast and I did more tying and pushing them in their cages. It seems like the birds are leaving my Alpine strawberries alone after I hung those CDs in that area.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jul 1, 2014 22:57:58 GMT -5
Hmm, that must be why someone donated almost a whole pack of Garden Sunshine seeds to the Idig exchange last year. NM Orange Suave is producing great - lots of peppers on the way. If only they tasted as good as they look. Yes, Black Hungarian and Hungarian Black are the same pepper. It seems that Black Hungarian is the accepted name. I'll switch around to avoid confusion. I read a lot of varying reports about the heat, from barely any to about jalepeno heat. So it will be interesting to see how hot (or not) it gets. It is a pretty little plant. Sorry to hear about your Black Seaman x Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye plant. Glad the PL version is still alive - hope it stays that way. I can't imagine how many psychedelic color combinations are possible out of that cross. Congratulations on your first ripe tomatoes, too. That is one of the major holidays on the gardener's calendar, right?
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 2, 2014 0:41:24 GMT -5
I harvested all of my garlic today, even though it was a bit early (usually about 2 weeks later than this), because we are supposed to get drenching rains here the next two days (again!), and I know it wouldn't have been good for it. So I dug them all up - 96 heads, plus around a dozen heads that are broken up, or the cloves are separated on, so I'll have to use them right away. I really didn't want to do that after being out in that heat today, but it had to get done, and when I dug them up, they really weren't too small! The Estonian Red was the largest, and was closest to being ready to harvest, with around 3 brown leaves/plant. The Music had the least brown leaves, and could have grown another two weeks, but was still good sized. Metechi was in between, in size and being ready to harvest.
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elliemater
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Post by elliemater on Jul 2, 2014 1:59:01 GMT -5
What went on in my garden today? Not a lot, it was hot as snot. Heat index topped at 119F around 2:30pm. My cucumbers are NOT happy with this hot and dry weather. Keeping them soaked with the sprinkler, as not all I am growing are bitterfree types. Hopefully the forecast is right and by the 10th we will get down from 99F actual temp range and back into the daily afternoon thundershowers we normally have in June.
Meanwhile, no fireworks for the 4th of July.
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Post by timothyt on Jul 2, 2014 4:55:46 GMT -5
Strat: Glad the CD trick is working for you!
Laura: My Black Hungarians come in around 1/2-3/4 heat of jalapeno with a good hint of fruity flavor as well.
Dave: I'm really jealous of your Estonian Red harvest! One of my favorite and usually largest garlics, but this year mine came in rather small.
Ellie: Dang that is hot and miserable weather to garden in!
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Post by stratcat on Jul 2, 2014 22:57:44 GMT -5
Today during a light rain, I made lots of name tags for my tomatoes and hung them on the cages or stakes. As it looks like we'll be getting in the 40s tonight and tomorrow night, I carried 17 potted peppers inside and have them under lights. I don't have many plants this year and don't want them set back. Some are still very tiny. Closed the foundation to keep my house warm again. Looks like we'll be having warm nights again come Saturday.
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Post by spacecase0 on Jul 2, 2014 23:29:35 GMT -5
I ate a cucumber out of my garden today, I was very excited
and a deer ate more of my squash... the fence is not yet built and I can't go out in the sun to put it up
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2014 23:41:42 GMT -5
Have a Pink Boar tomato showing some color. Have a small purple bell pepper forming. The rain we had Sunday and today is really helping everything (including the weeds). Bush beans and pole beans are looking good. Squash is just coming up, got them in kind of late. Wouldn't you know, the best looking plants are the two spaghetti squash that came up in the compost pile. I left them there as they seem quite happy right where they are.
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elliemater
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Post by elliemater on Jul 3, 2014 1:03:59 GMT -5
Plucking the last of my Coyote tomatoes today. Yummy. Harvested three zucchini and four yellow straightneck squash, very surprising as the plants are usually dead from SVB by now. I am beginning to think that pickleworms are the real villains in the death of my summer squash plants. (In addition to the SVB) Picked another 2 pounds of blueberries this morning with ice cubes folded into a towel hung on the back of my neck. And four cucumbers. And a bunch of zinnias for Fweddie-fwed's breakfast. Finished mulching the main pepper bed and most of those in pots. The ones I mulched last week have about doubled in growth so they must really appreciate the mulch. And finally, gazed with great glee at my ever expanding Piena di Napoli squash (pumpkin?). I tried to grow this for the past two years but THIS year after the other squashes were harvested, THIS vine sprung to life and set a lovely little fruit. Which now looks to be about 7 pounds and growing! Yaaaay! And just for fun, an hour after going back inside, suddenly turned on the sprinkler over the blueberry bushes and laughed when five frantic squirrels and four mockingbirds sprang out in all directions.
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Post by bestofour on Jul 3, 2014 7:28:15 GMT -5
'Starlight Sensation' scented stocks - no idea what this is
MS13's chickens are eating the flowers off my green beans. I chased them home last night but they'll come right back. I started to open the gate and let them in the fence with Andy but I hate to have a blood bath in my back yard. Johnny's getting some fence today and we're gonna fence in the big garden.
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Post by stratcat on Jul 3, 2014 11:30:10 GMT -5
'Starlight Sensation' scented stocks - no idea what this is 'Starlight Sensation' scented stocks are fragrant flowers that will be 18" tall. I've grown Night-Scented (Evening-Scented) stock before and enjoyed their evening smells. 'Starlight Sensation'
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Post by horsea on Jul 4, 2014 1:34:27 GMT -5
MS13's chickens are eating the flowers off my green beans. I chased them home last night but they'll come right back.
Having a fence isn't the answer to everything, not for me! I seeded my pole beans against the fence itself so I wouldn't have to use the trellis inside the garden, which I want for the muskmelons.
Well, the deer sure love them bean leaves...what to do, what to do.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 4, 2014 21:10:57 GMT -5
I got my first ripe tomatoes today!!!! I didn't eat them, because I don't know what these look like entirely ripe. There are two Pink Bumblebee, from two plants, and two Purple Bumblebees from one plant. The purples look almost like green zebra cherries, and the pinks look more like an orange tomato, though, again, I'm not sure what they will look like when totally ripe. And I wasn't really expecting these to be the first, as I hadn't seen anything about them being early. Funny thing is, my Sunsugar, which is usually my first, doesn't have one even full sized fruit!
While I was out there re-routing my tomatoes through the fences is when I found those ripe ones, and I also saw the huge numbers of tomatoes all over those plants, that I really hadn't noticed, probably because it has been so hot, and I really hadn't been doing any more than necessary out there when I'd get home from work (harvesting that garlic was necessary. LOL).
Another thing I'm beginning to get are purple beans - not ready to pick, but in a few more days, I'll have a generous number of beans, and soon some other beans will be producing. Red noodles are behind, but have grown to the top of the fence, so they'll start flowering soon, as well.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 5, 2014 22:47:09 GMT -5
I harvested my shallots today, since I saw that most had died back, though about a dozen still had firm seed stalks. I must have planted some variety besides my usual Holland red (maybe some I got at the Asian market?) as I got the largest shallots I have ever seen...ANYWHERE! The ones that had totally died back were the huge ones, looking more like onions, which had not separated into several shalots. I'll post photos tomorrow - I finished this in the dark, as I didn't get home from work today until after 7:30. I found two more ripe tomatoes today - Sweet Carneros Pink, this time. I see some hints of color in some others, so it is hopefully close to the time that I will be finding more than I can eat! If there is that many...
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Post by stratcat on Jul 6, 2014 0:07:26 GMT -5
As we're having warm and dry weather, today I mixed up a batch of Spray-N-Grow. It consists of micronutrients that I sprayed on the tomatoes and a pepper in Mom's backyard. After the 2009 late blight fiasco, I've been gunshy about wetting down my tomato plants. I had planned to feed fish emulsion, but not after the raccoon dug out four cherry tomatoes looking for the fish last month. Never did live trap him. At my place, I worked for a long time in the flowers deadheading. I popped a couple extra marigolds in and gave away the rest to the neighbor kid for their garden. Watered the flowers with the watering can. The warm nights are back, so I opened the foundation on the house again. Then I carted out the peppers to the backyard table to get growing. While out back, I spent loads of time carrying water to the "bag trick" plants, the potted tomatoes and the Alpine strawberries on the table. Moving out front, I carried water to the plants in the ground and in containers. Whew! It's rained often this growing season, so I haven't hardly had to water at all. Looks like we'll get some rain Sunday night. Come on tomatoes.
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elliemater
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Post by elliemater on Jul 6, 2014 8:24:54 GMT -5
MS13's chickens are eating the flowers off my green beans. I chased them home last night but they'll come right back.Having a fence isn't the answer to everything, not for me! I seeded my pole beans against the fence itself so I wouldn't have to use the trellis inside the garden, which I want for the muskmelons. Well, the deer sure love them bean leaves...what to do, what to do. Before I built my big bean trellis I always used bamboo pole teepees, tie-wrapped at the top and they worked really well without being too pricey. Maybe something like that would keep your beans away from pokey deer lips and teeth coming through your fence?
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elliemater
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Post by elliemater on Jul 6, 2014 8:26:26 GMT -5
Seeded my fall tomatoes on Friday! Two flats...144 varieties. Exciting!
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jul 6, 2014 13:20:50 GMT -5
I have a lot of food that needs harvesting all of a sudden. There are relatively few of the large tomatoes since most of those plants are nearly dead. (They probably would have died already but for the unusually dry weather lately.) However, there are dozens and dozens of Principe Borghese tomatoes turning. There are lots of peppers ripe or ripening - probably several pounds' worth. Both the Hill Country Red and Emerald okras have started blooming over the last couple of days and have their first small pods on them. Red Burgundy (just a few plants that were planted earlier) has already been producing a pod here and there. With the other okra coming into production, soon I will have enough okra to really do something with. The peaches on my tree are coloring up and will be ready soon. They are few and small but will hopefully taste good nonetheless. The Anna apples have been ripening one here and one there, but critters and birds have been beating me to them. There are several coloring up now, so maybe I will get a few. Oh, and the grapes are ready, right on schedule. Unfortunately, it looks like the birds and critters have also realized they are ripe. So even though I am not up to starting the jelly marathon today (I've been under the weather this weekend), I will try to at least start getting them picked and in the fridge. They will be okay in there for a day or two until I am ready to process them. In addition to the harvesting and preserving work to be done, I need to get my fall tomatoes seeded. I will have far, far less than 144 varieties, though. I think I will grow 10-15 tomato plants in total; I want to keep some Earthboxes open to use for to fall veggies in September and October.
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