Forming a cover about a potted plant using a heat-shrinkable floral sleeve

Abstract

A plant packaging and covering system comprising a floral sleeve having a base portion and skirt portion. The sleeve comprises a shrinkable element constructed of a material shrinkable by heating or other means, wherein when the shrinkable element is caused to shrink, a constricted area is formed in the sleeve to help secure the sleeve in a position about a pot, floral grouping, or growing medium disposed therein. The sleeve may have an upper portion which can surround and protect a plant disposed in a pot and which can be detached once the protective function of the upper portion has been completed, thereby allowing the skirt portion to extend from the base portion. The sleeve may have a plurality of expansion elements in the base portion, or may lack such expansion elements.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of forming a cover about a potted plant comprising a pot and a floral grouping, the method comprising: 
 providing a preformed sleeve, the preformed sleeve comprising a base portion having an upper end, a closed lower end, an outer peripheral surface, an inner peripheral surface, and an interior space when opened;    disposing the potted plant into the interior space of the preformed sleeve; and    shrinking at least a portion of the base portion of the preformed sleeve about the potted plant by exposing the base portion to heat from a heat source, thereby securing the preformed sleeve about the potted plant.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve, the preformed sleeve further comprises a skirt portion extending from the base portion.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein in the step of shrinking, at least a portion of the skirt portion is shrunk by the heat from the heat source.  
     
     
         4 . A method of forming a cover about a potted plant comprising a pot and a floral grouping, the method comprising: 
 providing a preformed sleeve, the preformed sleeve comprising a base portion having an upper end, a closed lower end, an outer peripheral surface, an inner peripheral surface, and an interior space when opened, and an upper portion detachable via a detaching element;    disposing the potted plant into the interior space of the preformed sleeve; and    shrinking at least a portion of the base portion of the preformed sleeve about the potted plant by exposing the base portion to heat from a heat source, thereby securing the preformed sleeve about the potted plant.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve, the preformed sleeve further comprises a skirt portion extending from the base portion.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein in the step of shrinking, at least a portion of the skirt portion is shrunk by the heat from the heat source.