# US 2018/0020624 A1 · Packages for living, edible plants > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0020624 A1 - Document ID: US20180020624A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/658,591 - Filed: 2017-07-25 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25 - Inventors: Bryan Vande Vrede - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180020624A1 ## CPC - A01G 9/088: {Handling or transferring pots} - A01G 9/02: Receptacles, e.g. flower-pots or boxes (self-acting watering devices A01G27/00; hanging flower baskets, holders or containers for flower-pots A47G7/00); Glasses for cultivating flowers - B65D 85/52: for living plants; for growing bulbs - A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12) - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES ## Abstract A package for a living, edible plant includes a tray having a bottom wall and four side walls defining an open, upper end of said tray, and a living, edible plant being having leaves that extend above the open, upper end of said tray. The package has a flexible outer container having a bottom panel extending along a closed lower end of the flexible outer container and side panels extending upwardly from the bottom panel toward an open upper end of the flexible outer container. The tray and the plant are disposed inside the flexible outer container so that the bottom wall of the tray reinforces the bottom panel of the flexible outer container and the side walls of the tray oppose the side panels of the flexible outer container. The upper ends of the side panels of the flexible outer container extend above upper ends of the four side walls of the tray. The upper ends of the leaves extend above the upper ends of the side panels of the flexible outer container and the upper ends of the side panels of the flexible outer container engage the leaves for tucking the leaves inwardly inside the flexible outer container. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A package for a living, edible plant comprising: a tray having a bottom wall and four side walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall to define an open, upper end of said tray; a living, edible plant being potted in soil in said tray, said plant including leaves that extend above said open, upper end of said tray and outside an outer perimeter of said tray; a flexible outer container having a bottom panel extending along a closed lower end of said flexible outer container and side panels extending upwardly from said bottom panel toward an open upper end of said flexible outer container; said tray and said living, edible plant being disposed inside said flexible outer container so that said bottom wall of said tray reinforces said bottom panel of said flexible outer container and said side walls of said tray oppose said side panels of said flexible outer container, wherein said tray is more rigid than said bottom panel and said side panels of said flexible outer container, wherein upper ends of said side panels of said flexible outer container extend above upper ends of said four side walls of said tray, wherein upper ends of said leaves extend above said upper ends of said side panels of said flexible outer container, and wherein said upper ends of said side panels of said flexible outer container engage said leaves for tucking said leaves inwardly inside said flexible outer container; a first handle attached to a first one of said side panels of said flexible outer container; a second handle attached to a second one of said side panels of said flexible outer container. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The package as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flexible outer container is transparent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The package as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tray has a length of about 6-7 inches, a width of about 4-5 inches and a height of about 2 inches. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The package as claimed in claim 3, wherein said flexible outer container has a length of about 7-9 inches, a width of about 5-7 inches and a height of about 7 inches. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The package as claimed in claim 4, wherein prior to being disposed inside said flexible outer container, said plant has a length of about 12-14 inches, a width of about 8-9 inches, and a height of about 8-10 inches. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The package as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plant comprises two or more different types of leaves for two or more different types of lettuce. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The package as claimed in claim 6, wherein said plant comprises five or more different types of leaves for five or more different types of lettuce. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The package as claimed in claim 7, wherein said five or more different types of lettuce are selected from the group consisting of green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce, red oak leaf lettuce, Bibb lettuce, green oak leaf lettuce, Jericho lettuce, red Romaine lettuce seeds, and herbs. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The package as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second handles are attached to said flexible outer container using a transparent adhesive material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The package as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said handle comprises an elongated strip of material having a first end secured to said flexible outer container, an opposite second end secured to said flexible outer container, and a single twist formed in said elongated strip of material that is located between said first and second ends thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The package as claimed in claim 1, wherein said package is inserted into a shipping container with additional packages abutted against two or more side panels of said flexible outer container. ### Claim 12 A package for a living, edible plant comprising: a tray having a bottom wall and four side walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall to define an open, upper end of said tray; a living, edible plant being potted in soil in said tray, said plant including two or more different types of leaves for two or more different types of lettuce that extend above said open, upper end of said tray and outside an outer perimeter of said tray; a flexible, transparent outer container having a bottom panel extending along a closed lower end of said flexible outer container and side panels extending upwardly from said bottom panel toward an open upper end of said flexible outer container; said tray and said living, edible plant being disposed inside said flexible, transparent outer container so that said bottom wall of said tray reinforces said bottom panel of said flexible, transparent outer container and said side walls of said tray oppose said side panels of said flexible, transparent outer container, wherein said tray is more rigid than said bottom panel and said side panels of said flexible, transparent outer container, wherein upper ends of said side panels of said flexible, transparent outer container extend above upper ends of said four side walls of said tray, wherein upper ends of leaves extend above said upper ends of said side panels of said flexible, transparent outer container, and wherein said upper ends of said side panels of said flexible, transparent outer container engage said leaves of said plant for tucking said leaves inwardly, and; first and second handles attached to said side panels of said flexible, transparent outer container. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The package as claimed in claim 12, wherein said tray has a length of about 6-7 inches, a width of about 4-5 inches and a height of about 2 inches, and wherein said flexible, transparent outer container has a length of about 7-9 inches, a width of about 5-7 inches and a height of about 7 inches. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The package as claimed in claim 13, wherein prior to being disposed inside said flexible, transparent outer container, said leaves of said plant define a length of about 12-14 inches, a width of about 8-9 inches, and a height of about 8-10 inches. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The package as claimed in claim 12, wherein said two or more different types of leaves for two or more different types of lettuce are selected from the group consisting of green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce, red oak leaf lettuce, Bibb lettuce, green oak leaf lettuce, Jericho lettuce, red Romaine lettuce seeds, and herbs. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The package as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first and second handles are attached to said flexible outer container using a transparent adhesive material, and wherein each said handle comprises an elongated strip of material having a first end secured to said flexible outer container, an opposite second end secured to said flexible outer container, and a single twist formed in said elongated strip of material that is located between said first and second ends thereof. ### Claim 17 A method of packaging a living, edible plant comprising: providing a tray having a bottom wall and four side walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall to define an open, upper end of said tray; placing soil inside said tray and planting a living, edible plant in said soil; growing said living, edible plant until said plant is fully grown and has leaves, wherein said leaves of said fully grown plant define a plant length of about 12-14 inches, a plant width of about 8-9 inches and a plant height of about 8-10 inches; providing a flexible outer container having a bottom panel extending along a closed lower end of said flexible outer container and side panels extending upwardly from said bottom panel toward an open upper end of said flexible outer container, wherein said bottom panel has a length of about 8 inches and a width of about 6 inches, and wherein said side panels of said flexible outer container have a height of about 7 inches; inserting said tray and said fully grown living, edible plant inside said flexible outer container so that said bottom wall of said tray engages said bottom panel of said flexible outer container with upper ends of said leaves extending above said upper ends of said side panels of said flexible outer container, wherein as said tray is inserted into said flexible outer container, said upper ends of said side panels of said flexible outer container engage said leaves of said plant for tucking said leaves inwardly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising: attaching a first handle to a first one of said side panels of said flexible outer container; attaching a second handle to a second one of said side panels of said flexible outer container. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said flexible outer container is transparent, and wherein each of said first and second handles have ends attached to said flexible outer container that are transparent. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said tray has a length of about 6-7 inches, a width of about 4-5 inches and a height of about 2 inches.