I really don't like to report when there is a lot that is negative. I always think the negatives may be the result of growing conditions and circumstance rather something inherent with the cultivar itself. And I grow all the daylilies here in containers. Mostly really big containers, but a container grown plant is a completely difference circumstance for a plant than in ground plantings. Specific soil mixes, no competing roots from neighboring plants, adjustable locations if necessary. Just a lot of variances growing in a container.
That said, some do well and others not so much. This will be the fourth year for Chesapeake Crablegs.
The good things first. The bloom is nice; multi-hues of orange. It readily sends up scapes. Very few fans skip sending up a scape. Increase is moderate, but it hasn't gone backward.
The negatives are that while it starts out looking great every year, the foliage has always taken on a dull, wilted look as if it was lacking soil moisture. I haven't been able to correct that and it's now, after several up-sizings, in about as large a container as I can handle - 24+" in diameter and 16+" deep. The other problem has been the scapes are really short and thin with not many buds. Sometimes as few as 3 buds. It hasn't rebloomed. As a plant, it seems to object to the severe, dry heat for the growing conditions and that's a factor I can't change.
If no outside disaster prevents it from performing better along with the other daylilies, I'll be considering replacing it and trying something else. Hopefully this will be the year it turns around and I won't need to do that. Here's photo this week of the new growth for the 2017 season. It's one that goes underground during the winter months.
