Decorative grower's containers and methods for using same

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for growing a plant in a grower's container having an aesthetically pleasing appearance without the use of a decorative container cover when a grown plant contained in the grower's container is on display. The apparatus and method include providing a grower's container, cleaning at least a portion of the grower's container to provide a clean area on which a decorative sticker is applied, disposing growing medium and a floral grouping in the floral grouping retaining space of the decorative grower's container, feeding and watering the floral grouping until it matures to a size desired for marketing, and the decorative grower's container so that the decorative pattern disposed thereon is visible when on display.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for growing a plant in a decorative grower's container having an aesthetically pleasing appearance such that the decorative grower's container is not covered with a decorative cover or sleeve to hide the decorative grower's container and the grown plant is not transplanted into a second container when the grown plant contained in the decorative grower's container is on display, and wherein the decorative grower's container having the plant grown therein may be shipped from a grower's location to wholesale or retail distribution points for sale of the plant in the decorative grower's container, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a decorative grower's container to a grower of plants at a grower's location, the decorative grower's container having an open upper end, a closed lower end and a sidewall having an outer peripheral surface, the sidewall and the closed lower end cooperating to define a floral grouping retaining space in open communication with the open upper end of the decorative grower's container and a decorative pattern disposed on at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the sidewall of the decorative grower's container;    disposing a growing medium and a floral grouping in the floral grouping retaining space of the decorative grower's container;    feeding and watering the floral grouping growing in the decorative grower's container;    cleaning at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the sidewall of the decorative grower's container so that the decorative pattern on at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the sidewall of the decorative grower's container is visible when the matured floral grouping contained in the decorative grower's container is on display, thereby providing a decorative container having an aesthetically pleasing appearance;    providing a sheet of material having an opening therein;    disposing the decorative grower's container into the opening in the sheet of material and forming the sheet of material into a decorative collar about the decorative grower's container; and    shipping the decorative grower's container containing the floral grouping to a distributor at wholesale or retail distribution points so that the decorative pattern on a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the sidewall of the decorative grower's container provides the aesthetically pleasing appearance to the decorative grower's container when the matured floral grouping contained in the decorative grower's container is on display at wholesale or retail distribution points, and wherein the aesthetically pleasing appearance is provided without the use of a decorative flower pot cover or sleeve and without transplanting the plant into a second container.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, at least one drain hole is located in the sidewall of the decorative grower's container for providing irrigation and drainage to the growing medium and the floral grouping retaining space of the decorative grower's container.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, at least one drain hole is located in the closed lower end of the decorative grower's container for providing irrigation and drainage to the growing medium and the floral grouping retaining space of the decorative grower's container.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, at least one drain hole is located in the closed lower end of the decorative grower's container and at least one drain hole is located in the side wall of the decorative grower's container, for providing irrigation and drainage to the growing medium and the floral grouping retaining space of the decorative grower's container.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, the decorative grower's container is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of polymeric material, sandstone, clay, ceramics, porcelain, plaster, marble, glass and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, the decorative pattern is a decorative printed pattern.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, the decorative pattern is a decorative embossed pattern.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, the decorative pattern is a decorative textured pattern.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, the decorative pattern is provided by a decorative printed pattern in cooperation with a decorative embossed pattern.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the decorative embossed pattern and the decorative pattern are in register with one another.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the decorative embossed pattern and the decorative pattern are out of register with one another.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the decorative embossed pattern and the decorative pattern are partially in register with one another and partially out of register with one another.  
     
     
         13 . A method for growing a plant in a decorative grower's container having an aesthetically pleasing appearance such that the decorative grower's container is not covered with a decorative cover or sleeve to hide the decorative grower's container and the grown plant is not transplanted into a second container when the grown plant contained in the decorative grower's container is on display, and wherein the decorative grower's container having the plant grown therein may be shipped from a grower's location to wholesale or retail distribution points for sale of the plant in the decorative grower's container, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a decorative grower's container to a grower of plants at a grower's location, the decorative grower's container having an open upper end, a closed lower end and a sidewall having an outer peripheral surface, the sidewall and the closed lower end cooperating to define a floral grouping retaining space in open communication with the open upper end of the decorative grower's container and a decorative pattern disposed on at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the sidewall of the decorative grower's container;    disposing a growing medium and a floral grouping in the floral grouping retaining space of the decorative grower's container;    feeding and watering the floral grouping growing in the decorative grower's container;    cleaning at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the sidewall of the decorative grower's container so that the decorative pattern on at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the sidewall of the decorative grower's container is visible when the matured floral grouping contained in the decorative grower's container is on display, thereby providing a decorative container having an aesthetically pleasing appearance;    shipping the decorative grower's container containing the floral grouping to a distributor at wholesale or retail distribution points so that the decorative pattern on a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the sidewall of the decorative grower's container provides the aesthetically pleasing appearance to the decorative grower's container when the matured floral grouping contained in the decorative grower's container is on display at wholesale or retail distribution points, and wherein the aesthetically pleasing appearance is provided without the use of a decorative flower pot cover or sleeve and without transplanting the plant into a second container;    providing a sheet of material having an opening therein; and    disposing the decorative grower's container into the opening in the sheet of material and forming the sheet of material into a decorative collar about the decorative grower's container.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, at least one drain hole is located in the sidewall of the decorative grower's container for providing irrigation and drainage to the growing medium and the floral grouping retaining space of the decorative grower's container.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, at least one drain hole is located in the closed lower end of the decorative grower's container for providing irrigation and drainage to the growing medium and the floral grouping retaining space of the decorative grower's container.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, at least one drain hole is located in the closed lower end of the decorative grower's container and at least one drain hole is located in the side wall of the decorative grower's container, for providing irrigation and drainage to the growing medium and the floral grouping retaining space of the decorative grower's container.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, the decorative grower's container is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of polymeric material, sandstone, clay, ceramics, porcelain, plaster, marble, glass and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, the decorative pattern is a decorative printed pattern.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, the decorative pattern is a decorative embossed pattern.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, the decorative pattern is a decorative textured pattern.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13  wherein, in the step of providing a decorative grower's container, the decorative pattern is provided by a decorative printed pattern in cooperation with a decorative embossed pattern.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the decorative embossed pattern and the decorative pattern are in register with one another.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the decorative embossed pattern and the decorative pattern are out of register with one another.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the decorative embossed pattern and the decorative pattern are partially in register with one another and partially out of register with one another.