<div>I did once again have an amazing quantity of fruit on the third year plants. i stop counting when i get around 180 flowers. Once again the rain came and stayed for a couple weeks this time. So the crop wasn’t realised. This year i increased the fertiliser rates to try and keep pace, however the fruit size was medium to small, with few larger early fruit ( as you said Steven). Now with spring almost over we would be looking at giving the plants a haircut. This current 3rd year field is planted 5cm further apart (40cm) enabling easier picking/pruning and better airflow. The quantity of crowns for the root mass seems to be limiting the uptake of nutrients. Which elements that would block the uptake of potassium? Iron? Nitrogen? Phosphorous.? Grown in plastic mulch, the crowns can only draw from the main stems in the hole in the plastic mulch.
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So i am doing a trial with mid season (summer) crown removals as Steven mentioned in winter.

Comparatively i have a second year field, same fertiliser, excellent health, exceptal fruit flavour, Brix highest of 15, consistent 10+, planted at 43cm, inoculated at planting, Albion variety, huge leaves. They are just loving life. The sap analysis was being done from the third year field, San Andreas variety ( i suspect require higher potassium than Albion). This current ( today)sap analysis was taken from the Albion field and results should be back in 10 days.

It will be interesting to see the results from a personal view as they are both fed the same.

No foliar at all. Still new to farming and lacking equipment. I also wonder about the impact on flavour as we often smell other strawberries that seem to have additional perfume for want of a better word anyone else notice this, or just the hyper sensitive?

Albion size has been very good, we are in the tail end of the spring crop and size has not decreased as much as previous years, no doubt due to the increased K and Ca

Notably the San Andreas leaves are not as large or healthy. Another possibilty is the tape emitters are becoming blocked in the third season.

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