Packaging for shipping plants

Abstract

A cardboard container for shipping a potted plant is provided. The cardboard container includes a first cardboard blank bent to shape to form a pot tray. The pot tray includes a floor for supporting a plant pot, and a plurality of walls extending upward from the floor and at least partially surrounding the plant pot, wherein the walls are bent to cover at least a portion of an upper surface of the plant pot. One or more rails are beneath the floor. A second cardboard blank is bent to shape to form an outside box surrounding the potted plant and the first cardboard blank for shipment thereof, wherein the one or more rails contacts a lower surface of the outside box such that the floor and the plant pot are elevated from the lower surface of the outside box.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cardboard container for shipping a potted plant, the cardboard container comprising:
 a first cardboard blank bent to shape to form a pot tray including:
 a floor for supporting a plant pot, 
 a plurality of walls extending upward from the floor and at least partially surrounding the plant pot, wherein the walls are bent to cover at least a portion of an upper surface of the plant pot, and 
 one or more rails beneath the floor, and 
   a second cardboard blank bent to shape to form an outside box surrounding the potted plant and the first cardboard blank for shipment thereof, wherein the one or more rails contacts a lower surface of the outside box such that the floor and the plant pot are elevated from the lower surface of the outside box.   
     
     
         2 . A pot tray for supporting a potted plant, the pot tray comprising:
 a floor for supporting a plant pot;   a plurality of walls extending upward from the floor and at least partially surrounding the plant pot;   one or more rails beneath the floor configured to contact an underlying surface of a shipment container such that the floor and the plant pot are elevated from the underlying surface during shipping.   
     
     
         3 . The pot tray of  claim 2 , wherein the floor, the plurality of walls, and the one or more rails are all part of a continuous cardboard material. 
     
     
         4 . The pot tray of  claim 2 , wherein the floor, the plurality of walls, and the one or more rails are all bent from a single cardboard blank. 
     
     
         5 . The pot tray of  claim 2 , wherein the floor includes one or more apertures configured to receive one or more tabs extending from the one or more rails to maintain the shape of the one or more rails.