Phal Schilleriana

[Pilot]

Hi All--

Been growing orchids now for about 9 going on 10 months. My first orchid ever was a phal schill. A few orchid peeps I know warned me against growing a species and looking back I can see why they said what they did but good culture really does cure the finicky way some species tend to grow. Of course, it is the fine people of this orchidboard that helped me hone my cultural care. Anyway, my phal schill grew like a weed over the summer and continued to put on new leaves into late Autumn. I was a bit concerned that it wouldn't spike this season (its first spike ever as it was a baby last year). I figured it was more into growing than flowering.

But not so. Many of my hybrids have already spiked and even one is blooming already. So I was very happy to see the state my schill was in when I watered it the other day to find this...



Its not the best angle but I assure you, its got a mitten look to it

Can anyone give me any tips of advice for a spiking species? Does the spike grow more slowly than a hybrid? I ask because my baldan's kaleidescope (who is spiking for the first time as well) is clearly outgrowing the schill and I found the kaleidescope's spike much smaller after finding my schill spike.

Thanks