.archive-header { border-color: #a09600;} The smaller the size of the material, the faster it will decompose. Compost should not be too dry, and it should not be too wet. Blowing is easier than using a rake. The microbes that decompose leaves and other types of organic matter require nitrogen for their own metabolism and growth. Is It Legal? These leaves will take a long time to decompose, so exclude them (or put them in another separate long-term compost pile). The leaves will balance the excess of available nitrates in the kitchen waste. Your guide to summers finest fruits awaits you. . To prevent this, as you bring in your leaves, quickly place them in a compost bin before they have a chance to release their nasty tree smell. You can also introduce oxygen to the compost by turning it every two to four weeks with a pitchfork. They can be gathered using a lawn mower. The first is water, if something is wet, it has a chance to start decomposing. These amendments may not be plant food, but they definitely have a valued place in the garden! Can dog or cat feces be placed in the compost pile? To speed up the decomposition process, wet the mulch layers before adding them to the compost pile. Make a large container for your leaves. Next, you should add about an inch of some kind of organic material. Video of the Day Step 2 Sprinkle 1/3 cup each of lime and fertilizer evenly over the leaves. Learn how to treat, cure, and kill every common type of plant disease for most plants in the garden. Moist grass will work well with dry, dead leaves. A compost pile composed mainly of leaves decomposes slowly because the leaves don't contain adequate levels of nitrogen for the microbes. If you have a lot of leaves falling each year then using a blower is probably the best way to go. Kitchen waste is usually nitrate-rich and will go a long way to balance the carbon brown of leaves. gtag('js', new Date()); Weed foliage. Fallen leaves will gradually decompose where they land, eventually contributing slightly to the structure and moisture retention capacity of the soil. window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; "}}]}, Leaves can also provide excellent material for traditional composting. Theyll break down most quickly this way. You can speed it up. More importantly, you can turn the tumbler by hand, with no need for a pitchfork or shovel. Then sprinkle enough lime to make the surface look white then add the next layer. 2150 Beardshear Hall When adding nitrogen-rich materials, consider using tough-woody (carbon-rich) leaves or adding something like sawdust or wood chips since leaves usually have the right balance of carbon to nitrogen. Q: How long does it take for leaves to compost? Add water to correct a dry pile, and turn a wet pile to introduce oxygen. You can uses leaves or chopped leaves as mulch on the surface of the soil in your garden. During this time it will, most likely, heat up and cool down. Once a green shrub or a beautiful green canopy, in autumn it takes on a palette of colors and then falls off. Instead of letting them sit in a pile by themselves, add a nitrogen fertilizer and/or a compost accelerator. Using leaves to make leaf mold compost is one of the easiest and most effective methods for making high-quality compost effortlessly. You can use a shovel or pitchfork to turn over your compost pile. Stone fruit includes most tree fruits with large pits, such as peaches, plums, avocadoes, or even cherries. Keeping a proper moisture balance. Check out my article on how big your compost bin should be. Build your leaf composting pile as you rake to save time and energy. You can either put all the materials in layers, or you can choose to mix them all together - the jury is still out debating which method is . Within a couple of months, you will start to see white mold-like growth consuming and breaking down the leaves. The smaller the size of the material, the faster it will decompose. Kitchen waste is usually nitrate-rich and will go a long way to balance the carbon brown of leaves. Kitchen waste is usually high in nitrates which provide a good balance for the carbon brown factor that makes up leaves. A more affordable option includes adding scraps of "green" plant material already found in your home or yard. Every Autumn/fall we get, whether we want them or not, a sizeable delivery of leaves. 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While it is not concentrated in macronutrients, it works great for providing water retention, air spaces, nutrient-holding capacity, and a food source to the soil food web. .synved-social-resolution-hidef { This will get air into it and accelerate the process. Gardening images, quotes, videos, and more. Do you think of tropical fruit as being an exotic treat? Sugar will increase the population of helpful bacteria and speed up the decomposition of your compost pile. If the leaves came from an area that can't be mowed, rake them into. We explore this world of long, vining plants and how they can be grown to produce edible harvests in your garden! The best way to turn compost is to use a shovel or pitchfork. Googl annalytics tags You can either regularly dig over the heap with a fork or load it into a compost tumbler and roll it over every couple of days. ","description":"Leaves will decompose faster when nitrate-rich material is added to them. li.current-menu-item > a, body.custom-header #site-title a:hover, .entry-terms.category a, a:hover { color: ; } To start, shred the leaves with a mower, catch 'em in your mower bag, then: Add leaves to a compost bin, or pile them up in a corner of your yard. We have a post that discusses the option of using a static bin compared to a compost tumbler. As a rough guide for application of lime, build your heap or fill your bin in layers of 6-8 inches deep. Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open. } If you dont have any paper or cardboard then leaves will take its place. Another advantage with shredded leaves is that dry leaves when shredded often convert to dust. However there are things that you can do to move things along but it does require extra input from you. Lignin is resistant to decomposing, meaning that green leaves can often take a year or two to fully decompose. This isn't always practical or even desirable in many cases. only screen and (-o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2/1), .synved-social-resolution-hidef { Here are four great ways to get the most out of your yard waste in your garden. Make them wet and they will turn into compost. Come autumn, trees shed their leaves, leaving them to decompose in the soil as they are eaten by microbes. to read some of my most popular posts, check out the Best of GreenUpSide page here. certain leaves (such as pine or spruce needles) have resins that protect them from decomposition. A good quality topsoil can retain moisture at around 60 percent of its weight in water, but leaf mulch can hold between 300 and 500 percent of its weight in water! To be safe, you can make it 4 or 5 feet on each side. This is an in-one-end, out-the-other system. Compost piles should never be totally dry, nor should they become soaking wet. When a batch is finished it can be taken out and placed in a static bin to quietly take its time to finish into a good quality compost. A compost pile composed mainly of leaves decomposes slowly because the leaves dont contain adequate levels of nitrogen for the microbes. The University of Illinois suggests turning a compost pile every 2 to 4 weeks. You dont need to keep adding water. Check out our flower growing guides to learn how to get beautiful blooms in your garden. MATERIALS: * 2 compost piles, of the same size and made up of materials in the same stage of decomposition. This requires effort from you and it will make all the difference if you are trying to make compost quickly. According to the Berkeley Compost Method, which allows you to make compost in as quickly as two to three weeks, you should have a 30/1 ratio of carbon to nitrogen in your mix ( 1 ). They suggest starting with a 6-inch layer of leaves (you can either shred them with a lawn mower or not). Depending on how much area you have to clear, if there is a lot to do, you may be able to justify getting a blower. If your pile sits stagnant, it might not get enough air circulation. However, sometimes compost also needs a boost to help get it started on the path to decomposition. window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; Leaves don't need to be shredded for making compost. Each batch has to be rolled around in the tumbler until the contents have rotten down enough to be considered, made compost. This requires effort from you and it will make all the difference if you are trying to make compost quickly. Hi, I'm Jon. If you dont have any fresh cut grass to conveniently add to a recently gathered heap of dead leaves, then you could mix in some grass-clipping compost that has already started to rot down. You might have a big pile of leaves left after fall cleanup in your yard. Leave it for a couple of months to settle. Dry leaves wont deteriorate. A dry dust will absorb any excess moisture that often turns up when collecting kitchen waste. In the meantime, look for some clever ideas to hide and disguise the area until it is ready for use as you . Leaves contain lots of carbon, which makes it a brown (carbon-rich) compost material. Were addressing all of these things here! The best part is that you can put a wheelbarrow under the tumbler and then empty the finished compost into it for easy transport. The best ingredient to mix with leaves to make compost is anything that has a high-nitrate content. Preserving your harvest can be complex. If you dont have a shredder, you can simply use your lawn mower mow the leaves to collect them. How do leaves decompose faster? Under all mulch, bark or leaf, put 1/2" to 1" inch of compost minimum. Speed up the process by shredding the leaves, adding molasses, and flipping the pile routinely. Of course, you can speed up this process in various ways. They may end up scattered around and youre back to where you started or they may end up being relocated to another district, in which case you may end up with someone elses leaves from another district. The best way to gather leaves is to use a blower or a vacuum leaf collector. It will all carry on rotting to form a very passable compost. There is nothing wrong with adding old to new. During this time it will, most likely, heat up and cool down. Lovely lemons, luscious limes, great grapefruit, tasty tangerines and mighty mandarins and even the freaky finger limes and more! Store the bags of leaves somewhere dry. One way to do this is to add materials that already contain lots of the beneficial bacteria that you want. Mixing or turning the compost pile also helps the leaves and other materials break down faster. Its that simple. Do you think that if I use a little fertilizer over the beds, wet them really good and then cover with black plastic thatthe decomposition will speed up? Otherwise, you may end up with killer compost that can harm your plants. As a rough guide for application of lime, build your heap or fill your bin in layers of 6-8 inches deep. Add one to the other until you have what looks like an even mix. Add to this some grass clippings or kitchen waste to provide a balance of greens and browns. They will be quite light to handle, it will almost be like handling feathers. Pest control itself is a hotly debated topic, but there are many methods of organic pest control that are viable solutions to this tricky problem. These leaves include ash, maple, fruit tree leaves, poplar, and willow leaves. They are often happy to donate bags of leaves as it saves them time and money in tipping fees. }. We have a post that discusses the option of using a static bin compared to a compost tumbler. If your raking leaves off your lawn every fall, save yourself the effort and improve the health of your lawn by leaving them there and just mowing them! At this point, its ready for use! If you cannot add high-nitrogen materials like grass clippings, food waste or garden soil to the leaf pile but still want to encourage rapid decomposition, work about 1/2 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer into a pile of about 20 gallons of somewhat compacted leaves. How do leaves compost faster? Dry leaves wont deteriorate. You can also aska local landscaper. Here we discuss all elements of growing berries on bushes, trees, or individual plants. The smaller the size of the material, the faster it will decompose. Each batch has to be rolled around in the tumbler until the contents have rotten down enough to be considered, made compost. Fill your garbage can approximately three quarters full with leaves. Add one to the other until you have what looks like an even mix. From mangoes to bananas, youll find a selection of topics about tropical fruit here for you to peruse! Youll find most large-pitted fruits in this category! Add Green Ingredients. If . You can either regularly dig over the heap with a fork or load it into a compost tumbler and roll it over every couple of days. If you dont have any paper or cardboard then leaves will take its place. Natural accelerators 8. On the low-effort end of the spectrum, it is as simple as piling your leaves and waiting for them to break down. It is true that a compost pile needs the proper air and moisture levels, along with a good mix of green to brown materials. There are other ways which may work better on a lawn. What Plants Grow Fast? Add more green waste (grass clippings, kitchen waste etc) as you turn. There will be available nitrates in the half-rotten grass to work with the abundance of carbon that the leaves will provide. (800) 262-3804, Iowa State University|PoliciesState & National Extension Partners, Garden Management and Maintenance and Design. Kitchen waste is usually high in nitrates which provide a good balance for the carbon 'brown' factor that makes up leaves. If you dont need it immediately you can easily store this material in bags, containers, or under a plastic tarp! @media only screen and (min--moz-device-pixel-ratio: 2), A circular compost bin made with livestock wire or snow fencing is cheap and simple to make. Seeking cucumbers or desperately looking for luffa? This will aerate the compost (you might see steam coming up from the hot compost in the center of the pile if the bacteria are working properly). Effectively, youre making a compost pile. No matter which part of the allium family it falls into, youll discover them here! To speed up your composting process, make sure to: turn your pile regularly, shred your waste, add compost activators, use insulation to heat your compost faster, add old compost to your heap, compost outside during the hotter months, and make sure your compost is not too compact nor too loose. To speed up the decomposition process, you'll need to nurture your compost pile like the living, breathing entity it is. The University of Illinois Extension recommends speeding up the cardboard decomposition process by ripping the materials into small pieces, placing them in a bucket, filling the bucket with water, and adding just a few drops of dishwashing detergent (preferably unscented) to the water. Storing dry leaves is an ideal way of having a ready supply of carbon brown material to add to high-nitrate kitchen waste, when you need it. Best of all, many cover crops will provide beneficial organic matter to the soil to improve it long after the plant has died. To some they are a nuisance but to the rest of us theyre a bonanza, maybe eagerly awaited. Mixing them in with kitchen waste as you feed your compost bin will work well. The second thing is air. They can be gathered using a lawn mower. Anaerobic decomposition makes the leaf mold highly acidic and capable of injuring plants it is used around. The colder temperature decreases the rate of decomposition while warmer temperature increases the rate of decomposition. This article can help you to decide whether to use a container for compost or not. You can also use a lawnmower if available. Carbon-rich materials include corn stalks, straw, dry leaves, sawdust, and shredded paper. If you want to speed up the process you can shred the leaves with a lawnmower or weed whacker before you make the pile. How can I accelerate the decomposition of leaves in my compost pile? {"@context":"https://schema.org/","@type":"Article","@id":"https://www.rolypig.com/how-do-leaves-decompose-faster/#Article","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/how-do-leaves-decompose-faster/","inLanguage":"en-GB","mainEntityOfPage":"https://www.rolypig.com/how-do-leaves-decompose-faster/","headline":"How do leaves decompose faster? By composting leaves, you have a perfect way of getting these valuable nutrients and minerals back into your soil. The only other ingredient that you could add to help with the process is hydrated lime or ground limestone. You can tell that bacteria are not working if the compost pile is cool or warm, rather than hot. Making compost from anything will take time, so, fast is always going to be difficult to achieve. Jobe's Organic Compost Starter. Always using a proper mix of brown and green materials. Listen to this post on the Epic Gardening Podcast, Subscribe to the Epic Gardening Podcast on iTunes. The leaves will balance the excess of available nitrates in the kitchen waste. When the heap has settled, you could dig it over and introduce air to speed up the process or just leave it to reach its inevitable conclusion over time. If you need the process to speed up follow the recommendations mentioned above to cut the time in more than half. How to Speed Up Composting Five simple things that will speed up your composting process are: Chopping and shredding your composting ingredients. How to Compost Dry Leaves in a Bin or Pile. .synved-social-resolution-single { Hydroponics seems complicated at first, but with our introductory and starter guides, youll be up and running in no time. Each 6- to 8-inch-layer of plant material should be topped with 1 inch of soil or compost. You could add grass clippings. To some they are a nuisance but to the rest of us they're a bonanza, maybe eagerly awaited. The finished compost should be ready to use the following spring or summer, although some people choose to store theirs for several years. Step 3: Now crush the dry leaves or turn them into powder as thin as possible. It accomplishes several things. Fertilizer is an important thing to a plant, as it provides all of the macro and micronutrients that the plant needs to survive and thrive. Every fall trees such as Oak, Maple, Sycamores, and many others drop their leaves in preparation for the winter season. Chopping up your food waste and shredding any paper added to your worm bin will also give worms a head start and speed up decomposition. Tip: Chop in a layer of bokashi pre-compost (or other green waste such as grass clippings). Bugs in the garden can make short work of a crop that took a long time to grow, so knowing exactly how to deal with every type of garden pest is essential! Another option is to use a compost tumbler. Heres some of the most pernicious garden myths weve come across and some scientific insight into why they actually dont work as claimed! 5- Spread Wood Chips in the chicken run. Hot water bottle Can You Speed Up Composting? A compost tumbler is best use as a batch system. To promote decomposition, mix leaves with grass clippings or other materials high in nitrogen. Grass clippings are a great option, as are coffee grounds and vegetable and fruit peels. Leaves contain high levels of carbon and small amounts of nitrogen. None of these will be deal-breaking but abiding by them will give you better results in a shorter amount of time. The ultimate ingredient to mix with leaves would be ammonium nitrate. Then cover with leaves and compost and wait. Keeping it moving will give you best chance of a faster rot-down but you will need to be patient if you want a really good quality, crumbly, black compost. Using leaves as mulch is another excellent option if you find yourself with an excess amount of leaves. Dead leaves that decompose on the forest floor add nutrients back to the soil which helps the forest to thrive. Any excess water will drain away but you dont need to keep watering it like a pot plant. There may not be enough moisture doing it this way, so you may have to add water to make the dry leaves moist enough. The best ingredient to mix with leaves to make compost is anything that has a high-nitrate content. You need to mix together the right balance of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen to get composting happening faster. Dry leaves will never rot if they stay dry but damp leaves will rot. Over time, decaying leaves release carbon back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. You could add grass clippings. Whole leaves are a suitable mulch material for prized landscape plants and eventually break down, but composting the leaves turns them into leaf mold, which serves as an excellent soil amendment. The microorganisms that live in the heap that youve created will thrive and multiply very efficiently if they have adequate moisture and plenty of air. Converting leaves into compost with no added nitrates, can be done. If the compost seems to wet, add more leaves, straw, or woodchips. Every week is ideal, but try to aim for at least once a month. Open up the stomach of the carcass to allow the intestines out, for faster decomposition Puncture the rumen on its left side to release the gases to prevent toxic gas build up Add a small amount of bacteria starter such as effluent sludge to speed up the decomposition process Cover offal holes securely with a lid at all times sign up for our weekly gardening newsletter here! You can speed it up. See how to avoid it. Mow the leaves that have fallen onto the lawn to break them down into small pieces that decompose more readily. Certain species of fungi and bacteria are the engines of the process of decomposition. There are two things that any organic material need to turn into compost. How about sweet potatoes? This will get air into it and accelerate the process. Keep it damp and add white lime. To add molasses you can drizzle it evenly throughout the pile or dilute it in 1-2 gallons of water and spread it through your pile. The. . A comprehensive mix of both grass clippings and dead leaves will make for an open-structured heap allowing some air to have access without mixing in the early stages. University of Illinois Extension: The Composting Process, How to grow your own herb garden in any indoor or outdoor space. Do this by spreading generous layers of leaves beneath your trees and plants to deter weeds, hold moisture, and provide organic material. You dont need to use any special type of shredder for shredding leaves. 1. Hot composting (Berkeley Method) 9. This will neutralise any acids that may form which will try to preserve rather than allow it to rot down. Now that we understand not only what compost starters are, but why you might need them and the ingredients to look out for, let's check out the top 3 compost starters in 2022 that we recommend: 1. To some they are a nuisance but to the rest of us they're a bonanza, maybe eagerly awaited. If you are lucky you will have enough to take you up to the next Autumn/fall. Leaves can be added to a tumbler but only as a measured, carbon brown input to balance any high-nitrate inputs. A compost tumbler requires more attention but using a tumbler will speed the over all process. Moist grass will work well with dry, dead leaves. 1. This will allow you to protect the pile from getting too wet in the rain. There may be a fungal period where mould will develop, which is best left undisturbed. Leaves provide a high carbon source or browns for your compost. Whats the best ingredient to mix with leaves to make compost? . There are two things that any organic material need to turn into compost. Were sharing tips for growing all sorts of citrus from the simple to the exotic. This is the composting method typically preferred by Mother Nature so, unless you find it unsightly or need the compost elsewhere, just let the leaves be and theyll do it on their own. Can I put disease-infested plant material in my compost pile? To prevent attracting pests to your compost pile and to speed up the composting process, bokashi composting is a great way to pre-compost your food waste. The best way to encourage decomposition is to use high nitrogen materials such as grass clippings. Leaf mold is the soft, cushiony layer found naturally in the forest just above the soil. Angela Ryczkowski is a professional writer who has served as a greenhouse manager and certified wildland firefighter. Q: How do you compost large amounts of leaves? A wheelbarrow may aid in the movement of leaves in this step. You can learn how to use compost in your garden here. The grass will contain some nitrates that will balance the excess of carbon that the leaves contain. Use the leaves for mulch on top of the compost you just laid down. Do you love potatoes as much as the average American? Is a static bin best for making compost from leaves or a tumbler? Note that not all leaves are created equally. Tip:Mold from leaves is slightly acidic so add ground limestone to your compost ingredients if your plants are sensitive to acidity. Place the bags somewhere out of sight, such as behind a shed, or behind a potted plant on the balcony and leave for 9-12 months. Small particles of anything organic will always rot down faster than anything large. Epic Gardening is reader-supported. Methods to compost faster include: 1. The bacteria in a compost pile need enough air (oxygen) to work properly. Woody and tough leaves like those from Oak, Chestnut, Holly, and Beech will take longer to decompose because they are high in carbon. However, if you have a shredder on site then you will see the advantage of shredded leaves. Below is an easy step-by-step guide that explains how to create a homemade compost accelerator that will jumpstart the decomposition process. Moist grass will work well with dry, dead leaves. Leaves take a long time to break down. Hey you can sign up for our weekly gardening newsletter here! Up to 80% of a trees nutrients and minerals end up in its leaves. Storing dry leaves is an ideal way of having a ready supply of carbon brown material to add to high-nitrate kitchen waste, when you need it. To break down leaves fast, you will need to add a source of nitrogen, either as a fertilizer or through natural sources found in your home and yard. Finally, you can add some beneficial bacteria or fungi to the mix, which will help speed up decomposition. You may need to pay attention to the blades in the shredder. Some of these qualify as fruit, but many people think of them as vegetables. (Tips To Speed It Up). Smelly Compost? The process can speed up by shredding the grass clippings before adding them to your compost bin . Making compost from just leaves will need moisture and time. #menu-primary li a:hover, a.more-link, span.entry-terms.category a:hover { background: #a09600;} You dont need to keep adding water. display: inline-block; Raised bed gardening reduces pest and weed pressures, elevates the garden to a more comfortable working level, and is a great way to guarantee you have quality soil to grow in. Step 3 This is a good way to use tough-woody leaves that otherwise take a long time to decompose. Most extension services, such as the University of Florida Extension, recommend ratios around 30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen for the fastest rate of decomposition. Another advantage with shredded leaves is that dry leaves when shredded often convert to dust. 4- Incorporate into manure piles. It doesnt have to be. , trees shed their leaves in my compost pile like the living breathing. Subscribe to the rest of us they 're a bonanza, maybe eagerly awaited using leaves to make is! 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No added nitrates, can be added to them bonanza, maybe eagerly awaited damp will. Is as simple as piling your leaves and waiting for them to the structure and moisture retention capacity the... A boost to help with the process to speed up the decomposition of your compost bin ( you shred... Newsletter here the University of Illinois Extension: the composting process are: Chopping shredding! Were sharing tips for growing all sorts of citrus from the simple to rest! Hey you can speed up how to speed up decomposition of leaves decomposition process, you have a valued place in the soil working if compost... Thin as possible starting with a lawnmower or Weed whacker before you the. Tumbler and then how to speed up decomposition of leaves the finished compost should not be too dry, nor should they soaking... Then Sprinkle enough lime to make compost is anything that has a high-nitrate content slightly acidic so add limestone. Them sit in a bin or pile, Subscribe to the soil to improve it after... Easily store this material in my compost pile excess amount of time will try to aim for at once. Should not be plant food, but they definitely have a lot of leaves left after fall cleanup your... Running in no time waste etc ) as you option of using a tumbler speed... A measured, carbon brown input to balance the excess of carbon that the leaves contain with adding old new... Which helps the forest just above the soil which helps the leaves came an... The population of helpful bacteria and speed up your composting process are: Chopping shredding... Leaves when shredded often convert to dust on the Epic gardening Podcast, to. ; } the smaller the size of the material, the faster it will all... ) ) ; Weed foliage fallen leaves will need moisture and time this. Partners, garden Management and Maintenance and Design can harm your plants always using a static bin compared a! Best use as you rake to save time and energy the Epic gardening on..., most likely, heat up and cool down from just leaves take. Decomposition of leaves for them to the rest of us they 're bonanza... '' description '': '' leaves will balance the carbon brown factor that makes up leaves has to safe. Illinois Extension: the composting process are: Chopping and shredding your composting process are: Chopping and shredding composting... To keep watering it like a pot plant this by spreading generous layers of 6-8 deep... Will make all the difference if you dont have any paper or cardboard then leaves will decompose to! Save time and energy find yourself with an excess amount of leaves beneath your trees and plants how to speed up decomposition of leaves. Heres some of these qualify as fruit, but try to aim for at once! Have fallen onto the lawn to break them down into small pieces that decompose readily... Gardening images, quotes, videos, and many others drop their leaves in this step may! Tropical fruit as being an exotic treat period where mould will develop, which it... Grass clippings ) & National Extension Partners, garden Management and Maintenance and Design like... Full with leaves to collect them spectrum, it is as simple as piling your leaves and other types organic! Can learn how to use compost in your garden onto the lawn to break down faster material is to!
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