Applemum, part of the reason for your strawberry crop woes could be that 'Albion' apparently is a poor producer in northern regions and high altitudes. After four years of pretty well getting ZIP production from the always healthy big plants, I worked them under! They'd flower a bit in the spring and only give a darn few sprinkling of berries throughout the entire summer, never could I go into my large patch and pick more than a few berries here and there and forget about ever needing a pail! They'd only ever gear up in late summer and show a decent crop when hard frosts were upon us, out the darn things went, what a waste of my time, energy and those four years of near nothing to speak of! Previously, I had always been very happy with 'Kent' for it's big July cropping, though disease has now struck and out it has also gone! I'm now starting again, this time with about six different varieties and have yet to determine any favorites. Okay, other than I've been quite impressed with 'Delizz' for both flavor and near continuous flowering and fruiting, a very low runner producer though, but then the patch soon does not become crowded and overrun.

I am so glad you took the time to mention your experience. I had a fondness for the Albion, thinking the problem was somehow with my management but my experience mimics yours. I was about to start in the patch today saving Albion runners to start over. I will change my direction thank you!

Glad I saved you from the effort, I've also heard others being dissatisfied with 'Albion' and it really should not be offered for northern regions ... where as, I guess it's a winner in more southerly regions, a climatic specific variety it certainly is compared to others that thrive pretty well across the board! I wish I would have kept my new varieties marked and separated so as I would be able to recall what's what, they'll instead have to go by 'Good', 'Better' and 'Best' ... well, other than the 'Delizz' that are easily discernable.