Since the leaves were shredded then presumably photosynthesis was compromised so perhaps the short scapes were the result of reduced manufacture of food for growth? There could also be differences in soil nutrient balance between the two locations.
FWIW here is a picture I took a few years ago of a baby scape one November. I'd dissected a few fans to see if baby scapes were visible, and this one was the most advanced at that time, I think it was about half an inch in length. This was from an unnamed but presumed Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus that flowers late May or early June here.
