Floral packaging formed of renewable or biodegradable polymeric materials

Abstract

A method for forming floral packaging materials from biodegradable and/or renewable polymeric materials is provided. Methods of utilizing such floral packaging materials are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a decorative covering for a floral grouping, the method comprising the step of:
 disposing a decorative covering about a floral grouping, the floral grouping having at least one of a bloom portion and a stem portion, and the decorative covering being formed of a polymeric material that is at least one of oxobiodegradable, photobiodegradable, and microbially biodegradable.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of starch-based polymers, Polylactic acid, cellulose, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of securing the decorative covering about the floral grouping with a banding element. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative covering is provided with at least one of a color, a design, and a decorative pattern disposed on at least a portion thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative covering comprises a sheet of polymeric material that is wrapped about the floral grouping to provide the decorative covering. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the sheet of polymeric material is further characterized as having a bonding material disposed on at least a portion of at least one surface thereof for bondingly holding the decorative covering about the floral grouping. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative covering comprises a sleeve having an upper end, a lower end, an outer peripheral surface, an inner peripheral surface, and an inner retaining space, wherein the sleeve initially comprises a flexible collapsed piece of material that is openable in the form of a substantially tubular structure. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the floral grouping is disposed into at least a portion of the retaining space of the sleeve such that the bloom portion of the floral grouping is exposed adjacent the opening in the upper end of the sleeve and at least a portion of the stem portion of the floral grouping is substantially adjacent the lower end of the sleeve. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the lower end of the sleeve is open. 
     
     
         10 . A method for providing a decorative covering for a flower pot, the method comprising the step of:
 disposing a decorative covering about a flower pot, the flower pot flower pot having an upper end, a lower end, an outer peripheral surface, an inner peripheral surface and an inner retaining space, and the decorative covering being formed of a polymeric material that is at least one of oxobiodegradable, photobiodegradable, and microbially biodegradable.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of starch-based polymers, Polylactic acid, cellulose, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of securing the decorative covering about the flower pot with a banding element. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the decorative covering is provided with at least one of a color, a design, and a decorative pattern disposed on at least a portion thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the decorative covering comprises a sheet of polymeric material, and wherein the lower end of the flower pot is disposed on an upper surface of the sheet of polymeric material, and the sheet of polymeric material is formed about the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot to provide the decorative covering. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the sheet of polymeric material is further characterized as having a bonding material disposed on at least a portion of at least one surface thereof for bondingly holding the decorative covering about the flower pot. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the decorative covering comprises a preformed flower pot cover having an open upper end, a closed lower end, an inner peripheral surface, an outer peripheral surface, wherein the flower pot is disposed into the inner retaining space of the preformed flower pot cover. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the preformed flower pot cover is further characterized as having a bonding material disposed on at least a portion of at least one surface thereof for bondingly holding the preformed flower pot cover about the flower pot. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the decorative covering comprises a sleeve having an upper end, a lower end, an outer peripheral surface, an inner peripheral surface, and an inner retaining space, the sleeve being formed of a flexible collapsed piece of material that is openable in the form of a substantially tubular structure, and wherein the flower pot is disposed into at least a portion of the inner retaining space of the sleeve. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the lower end of the sleeve is open. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the sleeve is further defined as comprising an upper portion and a lower portion detachable therefrom via a detaching element, and wherein the lower portion of the sleeve is substantially adjacent to and surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot, and the upper portion of the sleeve surrounds at least a portion of a floral grouping disposed in the flower pot.