Flower stem bag wrap with outer plastic covering

Abstract

A horticultural cut flower container assembly comprising a plastic bag with a cup shaped base member of flexible foam material secured to the bag, the cup shaped foam material being adapted to receive the stem ends of a bunch of piece of cut flowers and a strap mounted to the bag encircling the bag and stem ends to hold said stem ends in said bag in a secured position.

1 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly comprising: 
 a plastic bag with a cup shaped base member of flexible foam material secured to the bag, the cup shaped foam material being adapted to receive the stem ends of a bunch of piece of cut flowers and a strap mounted to said bag encircling said bag and stem ends folded foam material to hold said stem ends in said bag in a secured position.    
   
   
       2 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said foam material is a flexible diphenylmethane diisocyanate foam material.  
   
   
       3 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said diphenylmethane diisocyanate foam material is taken from a group consisting of polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate, crude diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 4,4′-, 2,4′-, 2,2′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate.  
   
   
       4 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said diphenylmethane diisocyanate foam material is one or a mixture of 2,2′-, 2,4′- and 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), polymeric MDI, crude MDI, namely, products of crude diaminodiphenyl methane or a mixture of the same  
   
   
       5 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said foam material is an organic polyisocyanate foam material using one or more of crude, polymeric, 4,4′-, 2,4′- and 2,2′-diphenylmethane diisocyanates with a soy based polyol ranging from 10% to 25% having a low density.  
   
   
       6 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said foam material has about  50 % of its pores by foam volume ranging in size from 40 to about 90 microns.  
   
   
       7 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said strap is integrally formed from said bag.  
   
   
       8 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said plastic bag is polyethylene.  
   
   
       9 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said base member is rectangularly shaped with slits extending from each corner inward toward the central section of the base member.  
   
   
       10 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said shaped wrap has a thickness ranging from ⅛ inch to ½ inch.  
   
   
       11 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said corner slits extend into said rectangular foam material substantially equal distances.  
   
   
       12 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said shaped base member has a thickness of about ⅛ inch.  
   
   
       13 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said fastening strap has loop fastening means.  
   
   
       14 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said fastening strap has at least one section with an adhesive material secured thereto.  
   
   
       15 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly comprising: 
 a rectangular shaped member of flexible foldable foam material having a thickness ranging from ⅛ inch to 1½ inch with a plurality of slits running from the corner of said rectangular shaped member inward to form side panels and a central section, said side panels being adapted to be folded over and secured together to form a cup shaped base which is secured to a plastic bag, said side panels and central section being adapted to hold the stem ends of a bunch of piece of cut flowers in said bag and a strap mounted to said bag encircling said bag to hold said foam material in a wrapped configuration.    
   
   
       16 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said foam is a flexible diphenylmethane diisocyanate foam material.  
   
   
       17 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said strap is integrally formed with said bag and is provided with securing means.  
   
   
       18 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 17  wherein said securing means is an adhesive material placed on said strap.  
   
   
       19 . A horticultural cut flower container assembly as claimed in  claim 17  wherein said securing means are loop fasteners strips secured to said strap.  
   
   
       20 . A method of wrapping and hydrating the stems of cut flowers comprising the steps of: 
 a. soaking a foam member mounted bag with liquid;    b. placing the ends of a plurality of cut flowers into the center of a cup shaped foam member mounted in a plastic bag;    c. pulling said bag up along the stem ends of said plurality of cut flowers;    d. folding a lip of said bag back over said bag; and    e. wrapping a fastening strap around said bag and said stems of said cut flowers holding said stems in said bag;