Kidnap Victim!

[Annik]

I received a phal as a gift about 2 years ago. It was very happy sitting on the windowsill of my dorm room and it gave me many beautiful blooms.
Then I was told that I was not allowed to keep it on my windowsill anymore, so I put it outside on a common balcony outside my room (this is in Florida.)
It took a whole year of love and care, but it finally spiked again and there were about 5 lovely new buds. One day it was gone. Someone stole it but our RA recovered it about 2 weeks later in someone's room. The plant was dry, but still alive, but the buds were broken off.
I cut it right above the uppermost node and applied a little cinnamon.
Lo and behold! a few weeks later it sprouted a secondary spike that was growing nicely.
On Sunday - when I brought it in for the night as I always do - I noticed that the tip of the new spike was broken off, probably less than 1/4 of an inch. I'm so upset
What do I do now? It's frustrating as I have given this plant so much love and care. I even sing to it every night.
Its leaves are large and lustrous and it it otherwise very healthy.
Thank you!

[Orchids&Tarantulas]

Everything seemed normal until you told us that you sing to it!

On a serious note, I'm sorry that you've had such a tough time lately with this Phal, and your thieving dormitory mates.

People suck. I had a miniature waterlily stolen from my garden last year. I loved it so much. The problem was... strangers seemed to love it too!

A lot of the time, if the orchid is healthy, a new spike will shoot up over time - although this can sometimes take a while.

A little patience, and in the meanwhile keep giving it the same excellent care you have been.

[Shadeflower]

not much you can do about the orchid I'm afraid but it will bounce back.
I didn't water a dendrobium enough so the buds dried up. Then I lost couple to the cold this year.
It's annoying but it's a replaceable plant and in time you will find even better orchids but I do understand the ones with sentimental value are often the best cared for and most missed. At least you got it back.
To make me feel better I would talk to this RA guy and chase up what has been done about a theft on campus and if the culprit will face any disciplinary action or whether they just see it as a plant and thus not worth the same rules as a car for example? Or whether anything in the communal area is automatically communal property? I mean the plant got damaged because you could not keep it in your room so talk to your RA about your grievance.
You followed their protocol and you plant got stolen and damaged. As such it is their responsibility to make up for it, not just brush it under the carpet.
Maybe he will argue it is policy that you can't keep it in the room and as such can't keep it safely on campus but still it isn't right that it was stolen.

[PaphMadMan]

I think the real problem is a place that won't let you keep a plant on a windowsill.

[Fishkeeper]

I would just keep it inside. Phals don't need much light, compared to other things. You could keep it away from the window instead of on the sill, or you could get a little desk lamp for some light. I grew Venus flytraps (which normally need full, outdoor sun) by putting them right under a desk lamp with an LED ceiling bulb in it, so you can definitely grow a phal under some form of desk-sized lamp. Heck, with an artificial light, you could put it in a closet or cabinet.

[estación seca]

We weren't allowed any cooking appliances in our dorm rooms. Between the two roommates, almost everybdy had a rice cooker and a toaster oven.

[BobMO]

If you have room in front of the window, how about a small plant stand?

You know the window sill worked just fine so a couple of additional inches will not have a negative effect.

[Diane56Victor]

When placing your plant in its new position, wherever that might be put some college papers underneath, that way its not a pot plant its a paperweight! Maybe then you can get some disciplinary action should it go 'walkabout' again.

[Mountaineer370]

I agree with the idea of bringing the orchid back into your room permanently and putting it on a plant stand or other table or shelf that you can place close to the window but not actually on the windowsill.

[Shadeflower]

I doubt it is the windowsill that is the problem, just like the place not allowing cooking appliances in the rooms they wouldn't allow them if you use them in the closet either.

It's not a matter of where in the room it is, I would suspect just like a cooking appliance is a fire risk they don't want a plant that needs soil added and water flowing out of the pot onto the carpet (a responsible plant owner would use a plant saucer and orchids don't use soil but a plant ban when students are involved makes sense to me. I know how messy students can be and won't give a hoot about the carpet or the windowsill)

I like the idea of secretly keeping it in a closet - it's not ideal but better than away in a communal area.
Led aquarium lighting has become very affordable too so you'll be able to find something suited.

If the window is on a second floor then the plant can even be out on show away from the window and hidden in the closet when the room gets inspected.