Currant Mermaid: variety description and characteristics, planting and care

Mermaid is a variety of blackcurrant, belonging to the middle-early varieties of berry horticultural crops. The variety was bred by the breeder V.S. Ilyin from two other types of currants - Blueberries and Bredthorpe. Differs in good productivity, strong immunity, high quality of fruits. The culture is recommended by many gardeners, but before you still decide to buy, it will not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with the description of the popular Rusalka currant variety.

Description and characteristics of the Mermaid variety

The variety is high-yielding, its average yield is 6 tons per 1 hectare. Therefore, from 1 bush you can collect about 3.5 kilograms of berries. The maximum yield in especially fertile years reaches 120 tons per 1 hectare.

Mermaid is considered a self-fertile variety of currant, so it is not too picky about care or the environment. The berries are round in shape, covered with a thin skin, and in color reach an almost dark black hue.

The weight of fruits ranges from 3.5 to 7.5 grams. They have a dry break. Their taste is sweet and sour, the tasting score is about 4.6 points, so Rusalka currants are classified as dessert berry crops.

Currant bushes are slightly sprawling, have average density and height. Shoots of medium thickness, painted in light pink color. Currant Mermaid has good winter hardiness and drought resistance.

Advantages and disadvantages of currants

The Mermaid currant has its advantages and disadvantages, like any garden crop. Its main advantages are:

ability to adapt to dry or frosty air;
high yield;
large fruit size;
resistance to powdery mildew and anthracnose;
unpretentious care;
taste of berries, which makes it possible to classify the culture as a dessert variety.

The plant has much less disadvantages. The main one is the average resistance to bud mites and septoria.

Features of cultivation

The Mermaid currant variety cannot be called whimsical in any way. Planting a crop does not require a lot of time or serious preliminary preparation. If you choose the optimal place for the plant, it will not cause trouble in terms of care.

Choosing a seat

The best currant of this variety grows and bears fruit in a temperate climate. Therefore, it is recommended to grow it in the middle or central strip of Russia.

You need to plant bushes in partial shade or shade, although sunny zones are also good for them. From a fence or other obstacle, the plant must dive into the soil at a distance of about 1.5 meters - this will allow air to fully circulate in the soil.

The culture is not very demanding on the composition of the land, but you should choose a place where groundwater is quite deep. Otherwise, the roots of the currant bush will slowly rot.

Landing

Currant seedlings can dive into the ground towards the end of October. To do this, holes are made in the allotted area with a depth of about 0.5 meters, and a diameter of about 0.4 meters.

First, the pits are covered with compost or humus, after which it mixes with the ground. A small mound is formed above the fertilizer, into which seedlings are placed. Each of the specimens should be placed at a distance of 1 meter from the rest of the bushes: this way it is easier to care for them, and they will not obscure each other. After planting, the currants must be watered: each plant will need 4-5 liters of water.

Rules for plant care

Currant Mermaid is picky, but it is impossible to completely deny her proper care. First of all, it should be watered and fertilized in time.

Irrigation and fertilization

It is necessary to water the crop abundantly at the stage of flowering and the formation of ovaries. It is recommended to process the bushes in the morning. One bush will need 5 liters of liquid. It is introduced between plants - this will avoid the bay of the roots. Perform the procedure every 10-12 days.

Feeding should be done in spring and autumn. When the buds open, ammonium nitrate is added under the plant (10 liters per bush). For autumn top dressing, compost with the addition of superphosphate and potassium sulfate is suitable.

Cutting

Pruning is done in early spring or late autumn: all diseased or dry parts of the branches are removed. Be sure to pinch the extreme buds, then the side shoots will develop more actively.

Wintering

Shrubs tolerate cold well, but young specimens may die. Therefore, in severe frosts, currants can be covered with polyethylene, and roots can be added with dry grass.

Disease and pest control

Periodically the Mermaid currant is attacked by some phytopathologies:

Powdery mildew. Its manifestations are removed with the help of Fitosporin.
White spotting. Septoria is treated by spraying the bushes with Alirin B.
Terry. Reversion is easier to prevent if more phosphorus and potassium are added to the soil instead of nitrogen fertilizers.

If currant bushes have been attacked by a bud mite, it is enough to find the affected buds and burn them. After that, the plants are treated with Neoron or Endidor.

Harvesting and storage of crops

Harvesting of Rusalka currant starts in the second half of summer. The fruits must be harvested as they ripen, otherwise they will crumble. After harvesting, fresh berries are stored at room or outdoor temperature for no more than 2 days, when they are placed in the refrigerator, the shelf life increases to 1 week.

The resulting berry crop is frozen or sent for processing to obtain compotes, jams, preserves or other products. Preservation made from currants can be stored for up to 1 year if rolled up with metal lids.

Mermaid is a high-yielding type of currant that is grown at home or on an industrial scale. The plant does not cause much trouble, it is not too demanding on environmental conditions, therefore it does not require special care. It is enough to provide him with basic care so that he receives the necessary moisture and top dressing during the growing season before the onset of the dormant phase.