Method of using a conical floral sleeve

Abstract

A method of using a floral sleeve sized to fit a flower pot, or a floral grouping, the sleeve generally having a conical shape and having a bonding material disposed thereon for connecting the sleeve to a pot disposed within the sleeve or connected via a banding element to a pot disposed within the sleeve.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of covering a pot having an outer peripheral surface, a bottom and an upper rim, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a preformed flexible sleeve comprising a closed lower end, a first panel, a second panel, a first side and a second side and having a conical shape with an angle between the first side and the second side wherein the angle is less than 90° or the preformed flexible sleeve having a frustoconical shape which is tapered from the upper end to a truncated closed lower end and having an imaginary angle of less than 90°, said preformed flexible sleeve sized to cover the pot and the performed flexible sleeve having a non-linear upper edge;    disposing the pot within the preformed flexible sleeve, wherein a portion of the inner peripheral surface of the preformed flexible sleeve is positioned adjacent the pot;    securing the preformed flexible sleeve to the outer peripheral surface of the pot via a banding element such that the preformed flexible sleeve surrounds and encompasses the outer peripheral surface of the pot; and    wherein said portion of the inner peripheral surface of the preformed flexible sleeve is positioned about the pot such that the preformed flexible sleeve is secured about the pot.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the preformed flexible sleeve is initially provided in a flattened condition.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the upper nonlinear edge of the preformed flexible sleeve is positioned near the upper rim of the pot.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the additional step of folding a portion of the closed lower end of the preformed flexible sleeve beneath the bottom of the pot after the pot is disposed within the preformed flexible sleeve.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the reformed flexible sleeve further comprises a detachable upper portion which is detachable via perforations.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the detachable upper portion is sized to substantially surround and encompass a floral grouping disposed within the pot.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the detachable upper portion further comprises an adhesive or cohesive bonding material disposed thereon for sealing an upper end of the detachable upper portion.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the angle or imaginary angle is between about 140 and 40°.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the angle or imaginary angle is between about 16° and 30°.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the banding element is further defined as a rubber or elastic band, a string, a ribbon, a collar, a wire, or a band.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of securing the preformed flexible sleeve is done either manually or automatically.  
     
     
         12 . A plant package comprising a preformed flexible sleeve and a pot, the pot disposed within the preformed flexible floral sleeve, the plant package produced by the method of  claim 1.