GB2472567A

GB2472567A - Container for growing plants formed from a blank

Info

Publication number: GB2472567A
Application number: GB0912168A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Adrian King
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-07-14
Filing date: 2009-07-14
Publication date: 2011-02-16
Also published as: GB0912168D0

Abstract

A container for holding growing media comprises a first base portion29, a plurality of body portions22,29,24,26arranged about the first base portion and extending from the first base portion, and a second base portion of substantially the same size as the first base portion and for positioning in the container at an elevated position with respect to and substantially parallel to the first base portion. In this way, the amount or volume of growing media can be changed/varied. The plurality of body portions may include front28and rear22panels which may have a plurality of horizontal slots30,33"in an upper region. A method of forming the container from a blank of materia also disclosed. Other horticultural apparatus and methods are disclosed, including a frame assembly for a container, a cover for a refuse bin and an identification device.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHODS

This invention relates to apparatus and methods relating particularly to horticulture.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container for holding a growing media comprising a first base portion, a loop of body portions arranged about said first base portion and extending from said first base portion, and a second base portion of substantially the same size as said first base portion and for positioning in said container at an elevated position with respect to and substantially parallelly to said first base portion.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a container comprising erecting from a container blank a containerfor holding a growing media and including a first base portion and a loop of body portions arranged about said first base portion and extending therefrom, positioning a second base portion, of substantially the same size as said first base portion, substantially parallelly to the first base portion and at an elevated position in said container with respect to said first base portion and subsequently loading said container with said growing media.

Owing to these aspects, the amount of growing media required can be varied to avoid waste of such media.

The growing media is, preferably a soil, for horticultural purposes and the second base portion can be arranged to suit the type of plant being cultivated in the container, so that there is minimal wastage of soil.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a frame assembly comprising a frame support member for contacting a surface or the ground, one or more plant container support members supported by said frame support member and for extending substantially parallelly to the surface or ground, and a bracket device attached to the or each plant container support member for receiving a plant container for holding a growth media.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising mounting a bracket device to a first support, suspending a plant container from said bracket device, removing said plant container from said bracket device, transferring said plant container to a second support including a second bracket device substantially identical to the first-mentioned bracket device.

Owing to this aspect, the plant container can be transferred between universal-type bracket devices at various locations.

In particular, the plant container can be transferred from one universal bracket to another in order, for example, to change the environmental conditions in which a plant grows. Advantageously, there are a plurality of frame assemblies and bracket devices which are preferably utilised for educational purposes, especially for school children.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a container formed from a substantially flat container blank and for holding a growing media comprising a base portion, a loop of body portions arranged about said base portion and extending from said base portion, wherein one of said loop of body portions forms a front body panel which includes, at an upper edge zone,

I

a forwardly projecting transition panel arranged to extend obliquely downwardly and outwardly from said upper edge zone.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a container comprising erecting from a substantially flat container blank a container for holding a growing media and including a base portion and a loop of body portions arranged about said base portion and extending therefrom, one of said loop of body portions forming a front body panel of said container, and folding a transition panel outwardly about a line of weakness between said front body panel and said transition panel so as to extend obliquely downwardly and outwardly from an upper edge zone of said front body panel.

Owing to these two aspects, the chance of plant stems of plants which are growing in the growing media contained in the container bending or breaking at the top edge of the front body panel can be minimized. The presence of the transition panel reduces the degree of turning about the top edge of the front body panel than would occur at a plain top edge of the front body panel.

According to an seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container for holding a growing media comprising a base portion, a loop of body portions arranged about said base portion and extending from said base portion, wherein one of said loop of body portions includes mounting means for mounting a fluid-delivery device on said container.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a container comprising erecting from a container blank a container for holding a growing media and including a base portion and a loop of body portions arranged about said base portion and extending therefrom, and subsequently mounting a fluid-delivery device to said container.

Owing to these aspects, a fluid-delivery device for delivering fluid to the growing media can be mounted and retained on the container.

In this way, an irrigation system can be set-up to deliver water to a plurality of plant containers. Preferably, the mounting means are located at an upper edge zone of the one of the loop of body portions.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an identification device blank of substantially flat material comprising a lower supporting portion and an upper head portion connected to an upper end region of the supporting portion, wherein the supporting portion and the head portion include corresponding engaging means for engaging with each other when the finished identification device is formed.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming an identification device from a substantially flat blank comprising folding a head portion of the identification device blank about a line of weakness between the head portion and a supporting portion of the identification device and engaging respective corresponding engaging means located at the supporting portion and the head portion, so as to form the identification device with a part of the head portion extending transversely to the supporting portion.

Owing to these two aspects, it is possible to provide a flat identification device blank, which is easily packaged and transported for subsequent assembly.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for attaching to a water storage container comprising a downwardly sloped precipitation-intercepting surface, attachment means for fixing said apparatus to a top region of said water storage container, and an opening at a lowermost end of said surface for directing intercepted precipitation into said storage container.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of collecting precipitated water in a storage container comprising attaching to a top region of said storage container a precipitation-catching device having a downwardly sloped precipitation-intercepting surface to direct intercepted precipitation to an opening in said surface and subsequently to an opening of said storage container.

Owing to these two aspects, precipitation such as rain water can be relatively simply collected. In particular, rain water can be collected without the need for roof surfaces, guttering and downpipe arrangements.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cover for a refuse bin comprising a top portion and a body portion, the top and body portions being connected by a gusset portion, wherein the gusset portion includes an opening to enable passage of refuse into said refuse bin.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising covering with a cover at least a top part of a refuse bin having a lid, removing the lid of the bin so as to expand a gusseted portion of said cover in the region of the lid and inserting refuse into the bin via an opening in the gusseted portion.

Owing to these two aspects, the inside of a refuse bin can be kept substantially free of organisms entering from the outside environment.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus comprising: one or more plant containers for holding a growing media a frame assembly for supporting the or each plant container, the frame assembly comprising a frame support member and one or more plant container support members supported by the frame support member, and a bracket device attachable to the or each plant container support member and for receiving the or each plant container thereon.

Owing to this aspect, it is possible to provide a complete horticultural package.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substantially flat container blank comprising a group of body-forming panels, a handle-forming panel arrangement extending from an edge zone of said group and a spout-forming panel arrangement extending from another edge zone of said group.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a containerfrom a substantially flat container blank comprising folding a group of body-forming panels inwardly to form a container body portion, folding a spout-forming panel arrangement extending from an edge zone of said group to form a spout portion arranged to extend from said body portion and folding a handle-forming panel arrangement extending from another edge zone of said group to from a handle portion to extend substantially across said container body.

Owing to these two aspects of the present invention, a container having a handle portion, a body portion and a spout portion can be supplied as a flat container blank for subsequent assembly. In this way, the material blanks can be relatively easily packaged, transported and stored for subsequent assembly.

Advantageously, the container is a water-holding container for watering plants. The container is especially advantageous for horticultural education purposes, particularly for children who can assemble their own watering containers (which they can also personalise) for watering plants that they have planted themselves in order to obtain a complete horticultural educational experience.

According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for use in hand-sowing of seeds, comprising an elongate ledge upon and along which the seeds can be distributed and a sloped surface extending from said elongate ledge towards a narrow opening through which the seeds can pass, manual initiation of the movement of the seeds causing them to travel from the ledge, down the sloped surface and through the narrow opening to the ground or surface below the opening.

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of hand-sowing of seeds, comprising manually distributing the seeds upon and along an elongate ledge, and manually initiating movementof the seeds to cause them to travel from the ledge, down a sloped surface and through a narrow opening onto the ground or surface below the opening.

Owing to these two aspects of the invention, the distribution of the seeds along the ground or surface can be predetermined. The likely distribution can also be checked against a recommended distribution.

Again, such an apparatus is particularly useful as an educational tool, especially for children learning about horticulture.

According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container for plants, the container having first and second portions slidably engageable with each other, the arrangement being such that an axial dimension of the container can be increased as the size of a plant in the container increases.

According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of growing a plant in a container comprising increasing an axial dimension of the container as the size of the plant increases by slidably adjusting in the axial direction a first portion of the container relative to a second portion of the container.

Owing to these two aspects, it is possible to provide a telescopically expandable plant container. In this way, the container can "grow" as the plant grows.

Advantageously the container is telescopic in an upward direction, so that the walls of the container continue to provide support for long plant stems as they grow. Such a container is particularly advantageous in growing potatoes, especially for educational purposes.

In order that the invention can be clearly and completely disclosed, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is a plan view of a container blank for forming a plant container, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a plant container constructed from the container blank similar to Figure 1, Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a bracket device suitable for supporting the plant container of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a perspective view of a frame assembly for supporting a plurality of the containers of Figure 2, Figure 5 is a view similarto Figure 4, butofa modified version of the frame assembly, Figure 6 is a perspective view of a flat material blank for an identification device, Figure 7 is a perspective view of a precipitation-collecting device, Figure 8 is a plan view of a container blank for forming a plant-watering container, Figure 9 is a perspective view of the plant-watering container constructed from the blank of Figure 8, Figure lOis a perspective view of an apparatus for use in the hand-sowing of seeds, Figure 11 is a perspective view of a telescopically expandable plant container, and Figure 12 is a perspective view of a refuse bin covered by a bin cover.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a container 20 assembled from a substantially flat container blank 2 and for holding a plant-growing media such as a soil (not shown) comprises a rear body panel 22, a first side body panel 24, a second side body panel 26 opposite the first side body panel 24, a front body panel 28 opposite the rear body panel 22 and a fixed-position base panel 29 (shown in Figure 1). The rear body panel 22 is provided, at its upper region with a plurality of substantially horizontal slots 30 for receiving elements of a bracket device (shown in Figure 3) to support the container 20 thereon. At the upper edge zone of the front body panel 28 a lesser transition panel 32 extends across substantially the width of the container 20 and projects obliquely outwardly and downwardly. The transition panel 32 reduces the angle of turning about the upper edge of the front body panel than if the transition panel 32 was absent. Disposed outwardly of the transitional panel 32 is a tabbed panel 33 which includes a plurality of tabs 33' for engaging with a corresponding plurality of slots 33" in the front body panel 28 for securing the transition panel 32 in place. The side body panels 24 and 26 further comprise respective forwardly projecting substantially triangular portions 24' and 26' to assist in the folding of the transition panel 32 and the tabbed panel 33.

In this way, plant stems in the container 20 which hang over the upper edge of the front body panel, for example strawberry plants in-fruit, are less likely to bend or break. The side body panels 24 and 26 could also be provided with similar transition panels.

The container 20 can also be provided with an integral or separate second base panel (not shown) of substantially the same size as the first mentioned fixed base-panel 29 for positioning in the container interior at a desired level above and substantially parallelly to the fixed base panel 29. Such a second base panel ensures that the amount of growth media, such as soil, can be altered depending upon the type of plant to be grown in the container whilst having the top surface of the soil at or near the top edges of the front and side body panels so that the plants will still easily be visible, even when growth has just started. Such an arrangement thus uses only the necessary amount of soil. The container 20 could include a scale on the inside and/or outside surfaces to indicate the level at which the second base panel is to be positioned for specific plants.

The container is also provided with holes 4 therein for drainage of water used to feed the seeds/plants.

As shown in Figure 1, the side body panels 24 and 26 have disposed outwardly thereof mounting means 25 in the form of a panel which, in the assembled container would be located at respective upper edge zones of the side body panels. The mounting means comprise a movable flap 25' resulting in the ability to mount a fluid-delivery device such as a tube of an irrigation system to the container 20. Thus, where there is a plurality of containers 20, they can be conveniently connected to such an irrigation system.

The container blank is preferably made of a relatively thin plastics material which can easily be assembled, by way of conventional tab-in-slot securing means, by students of all ages to aid their educational experience. The primary advantage of flat pack items is that because it is packed flat, it is extremely space efficient, saving significant amounts of money for the manufacturer by reducing transporting and storage costs. Consumers in turn benefit from this because the manufacturer/seller can pass the savings down with less expensive prices.

Referring to Figure 3, a bracket device 34 constructed from a single piece of metal wire comprises a plurality of fixing points 36 by way of which the bracket device 34 can be fixed to a support, such as a wall, by, for example, screws. The bracket 34 also comprises a plurality of projecting elements 38 engageable with the slots 30 of the container 20 in order that the container 20 can be supported on the bracket 34.

Referring to Figure 4, a frame assembly 40 comprises two end-piece frame-supporting members 42 which include leg portions 44 for resting on a floor surface or inserting into the ground of a garden. The frame assembly 40 also comprises container support members 46 extending between the frame-supporting members 42 and substantially parallelly to the floor or ground. The container support members 46 could include a plurality of the bracket devices 34 or simply corresponding elements to the projecting elements 38 upon which to suspend the containers 20.

One of the container supporting members 46 includes an upwardly extending plant support frame 48 for supporting tall-growing plants, such as bean plants. The plant support frame 48 includes a plurality of cross-bars 50 to which plants can be tied for additional support.

The modified version of the frame assembly 40' shown in Figure 5 differs from that of Figure 4 in that the end-piece frame support members 42' are arranged to receive the container support members 46' in an echelon formation, one in front of the other, rather than the back-to-back relationship of Figure 4. The frame assembly 40' also differs in that one of the containers 20 comprises a dedicated individual plant support frame 52 similar to the plant support frame 48, but for a single container 20 rather than for a number of containers.

The containers 20, the bracket device 34 and the frame assemblies 40 and 40' are particularly useful in educating children in horticultural practices, since the containers 20 can be transferred between various locations by way of the universal-type bracket (or corresponding elements to the projecting elements 38), such that the growing environment around the container can be changed. In addition, the same species of plant can be grown in different containers using different growth media in each container. In this way, children can be educated in the types of environment and growth media in which specific plants achieve optimal growth.

Referring to Figure 6, a plant identification device is constructed from a substantially flat material blank 60 which comprises an elongate lower support portion 62 having a central longitudinal line of weakness S2 about which the lower portion 62 is folded to form a stake for inserting into soil adjacent a plant. At an upper end region of the support portion 62 there is, on respective opposite sides of the line of weakness S2, a pair of inwardly projecting slots 64. The lower portion 62 is connected to an upper head portion 66 by way of a connecting piece 68 bounded at upper and lower ends by respective lines of weakness S4 and S6 which are transverse to the line of weakness S2. At respective opposite lateral sides of the connecting piece 68 and extending initially upwardly and then upwardly and outwardly of the head portion 66 are another pair of slots 70 forming a Y-shaped portion.

When the flat blank 60 is folded to form the final identification device, the support portion is folded about the line of weakness S2, the head portion 66 is folded about the line of weaknesses S6 and S4 to bring the connecting piece 68 into a face-to-face relationship with the support portion 62 in order that the respective pairs of slots 64 and 70 engage with each other. The head portion 66 in the formed identification device is thus arranged transversely to the support portion 62 and provides a surface on which to indicate a plant variety adjacent where the finished identification device is to be inserted into the ground.

Advantageously, theflat blanks 60 are cutfromthesamewebof material as the container blank 2 of Figure 1, so that wastage of material is minimal.

As for the blank 2 of Figure 1, the flat blanks 60 are easily packaged and transported, as the volume of space occupied by the blank is minimal.

Referring to Figure 7, a precipitation-intercepting device 72 comprises an opening 74 in a central region and a catch ment area having at respective opposite sides of the opening 74 downwardly sloped surfaces 76 that direct intercepted precipitation towards the opening 74. The intercepting device 72 is, advantageously, for attaching to the top of a water storage container, such as a water butt and includes, around the opening 74 concentric ring-form surfaces 78 which have an upwardly stepped cross-sectional profile radially outwardly from the opening 74. The ring-form surfaces 78 are to be placed over the top opening of the water butt, and depending on the diameter of that top opening it determines which of the ring-form surfaces 78 contacts the top surface of the water butt circumferentially of its top opening. The intercepting device 72 can then be fixed to the water butt by way of conventional fixing means, such as screws which pass through the relevant ring-form surface 78 and into the top surface of the water butt. Preferably, the intercepting device includes, about the periphery of the surfaces 76, an upwardly extending wall 80 to more reliably retain any precipitation intercepted by the surfaces 76. In order to intercept sufficient precipitated water, the intercepting device 72 is preferably around 1.8m in length and around 0.8m in width. The intercepting device 72 is preferably made of plastics and could be of any other suitable shape rather than just rectangular, as shown.

The intercepting device is particularly advantageous at recycling precipitated water at locations where there is no precipitation collection from roofs using a system of guttering and downpipes. Such locations include remote garden areas, such as allotment plots, and some Third World areas and in such areas, there would be no need for constructing a water-collecting system of a roof, guttering and downpipe. It is also known that plants grow better when fed with precipitated water such as rain water because it generally has a balanced pH and is free of water-treatment chemicals such as chlorine contained in mains water. In addition, with the increasing occurrence of water restrictions such as hose-pipe bans and drought orders during dry periods of weather, the collection of precipitated water is very advantageous. The intercepting device 72 could also include a filter (not shown) covering the opening 74, resulting in cleaner water in the water butt. The stored water may have to be treated as is conventional to reduce the growth of micro-organisms, such as algae.

Referring to Figures 8 and 9, a substantially flat container blank 82 of thin plastics material for forming a plant-watering container 82a comprises a group 84 of body-forming panels divided by fold lines and for forming a container body portion 84a. At one edge region of the group of panels 84, there is a handle-forming panel arrangement 86 for folding and forming a container handle 86a. At an opposite edge region of the group 84, there is a spout-forming panel arrangement 88 for folding and forming a container spout 88a with a centrally located outlet 89.

In assembling the watering container 82a, the group of panels 84 are folded inwardly about their dividing fold lines, as are the panel arrangements 86 and 88.

The handle-forming panel arrangement 86 is folded over the top of the partially formed container body and has disposed outwardly thereof a dividing wall panel for dividing the container body 84a from the spout 88a. The wall panel 90 has a U-shaped opening for allowing water to flow, at a controlled rate, from the container body 84a to the spout 86a. Respective laterally outer handle panels 92 of the handle-forming arrangement 86 have tabs 94 which when folded inwardly and upwardly to meet each other face-to-face engage with slots 96 located in the arrangement 86 between respective tabs 94. The spout-forming arrangement 88 has at an outer edge zone thereof a pair of securing panels 98 which are provided with respective tabs 100 which engage, in the finally assembled container, with slots 102 provided in the dividing wall panel 90. The securing panels 98 also have at their respective boundary zones with the adjacent panels of the arrangement 88 a plurality of elongate openings 104 which form additional water outlets.

The panels of the group 84 which are to form the rear part of the body portion 84a are provided with small holes 85 therethrough which, in the finished container align for receiving a fixing device, such as a plastics rivet. Similarly, holes 87 in two laterally outer triangular panels of the spout-forming arrangement 88 and in the dividing wall panel 90 align in the assembled container for receiving a further fixing device.

The assembled container 82a is particularly useful in teaching children who have fun assembling the containers and, perhaps, personalising them. The watering container 82a can be used to water plants in the containers 20.

Referring to Figure 10, an apparatus 106 for hand-sowing of seeds which may be a one-piece moulding of plastics material, includes a substantially vertically upwardly extending wall 108, and a sloped wall 110 which constitutes a seed slide and defining between them an increasingly narrowing elongate slot 112 which terminates at its narrowest point with a narrow opening 114. At the upper edge of the sloped wall 110 is a substantially horizontal elongate ledge 116 upon and along which seeds are distributed prior to planting. When seeds are distributed along the ledge 116 their movement to the ground or surface in which they are to be planted can be manually initiated so that they slide down the sloped wall 110 and through the opening 114. The seeds then drop in a line, determined by the form of the opening 114, onto the ground or surface beneath.

Advantageously the apparatus 106 is of an overall width to fit inside the top of the container 20 so that, in particular, neat sowing of seeds to a recommended distribution can be achieved by children in an educational situation.

One or more of the containers 20, the frame assemblies 40 and/or 40' and the bracket device 34 could be provided in a flat-packed horticultural package.

The package could be further supplemented by one or more of the items shown in Figures 5 to 9.

Referring to Figure 11, a plant container 118 comprises a first part 11 8a and a second part 11 8b which slidably engage with each other in a substantially upwardly direction to form a telescopically extending container. The container 118 may also include securing means whereby the position of the first and second parts 118a and 118b relative to each other can be secured. Such a telescopic plant container 118 can therefore extend as a plant grows such that the walls of the container 118 can continue to provide support for long plant stems and discourage such plants from falling and, as a consequence, their stems folding or breaking. The container 118 may also include, at its upper edges, angled transition surfaces 120 similar to the transition panel 32 of the container 20 and which further assists in discouraging plant stems to fold or break. The telescopic container 11 8 is also particularly useful in education especially when growing plants such as potatoes. In this way, a child can always relatively easily keep track of a growing plant instead of, for instance, having to look down into a deep plant pot to see if there is any growth.

Referring to Figure 12, a refuse bin, such as a so-called wheelie-bin 122, comprises a hinged lid 124. The bin 122 is covered by a fabric cover 126 which comprises a body portion 128 and a lid portion 130. Where the bin 122 and bin lid 124 are hinged, the body portion 128 is directly connected to the lid portion 130 at that edge, but around the remaining three edges of the bin cover 126, the body portion 128 is connected to the lid portion 130 by way of a gusset portion 132. The gusset 132 could alternatively extend the whole way around the cover 126 for covering bins where the bin lid is completely removable from the main body of the bin. Furthermore, the gusset 132 is preferably made of a net-like fabric, such as a fly-net to keep animals, particularly insects, from entering the bin interior. In addition, the front part of the gusset 132 includes an opening 134 through which refuse is put into the bin interior.

Moreover, where the body portion 128 of the cover 126 is joined via a seam to the lid portion 130 or the gusset 132, one or more pockets 136 can be included in that seam and which are arranged to overhang into the bin interior. The or each pocket 136 could have inserted therein perfumed devices or insecticide devices.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A container for holding a growing media comprising a first base portion, a loop of body portions arranged about said first base portion and extending from said first base portion, and a second base portion of substantially the same size as said first base portion and for positioning in said container at an elevated position with respect to and substantially parallelly to said first base portion.
2. A container according to claim 1, wherein said container is assembled from a substantially flat container blank.
3. A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said loop of body portions comprises a rear body panel, a first side body panel, a second side body panel opposite the first side body panel, a front body panel opposite the rear body panel, the rear body panel being provided, at an upper region, thereof with a plurality of substantially horizontal slots.
4. A container according to claim 3, wherein at an upper edge zone of the -15 front body panel a lesser transition panel extends across substantially the width of the container and projects obliquely outwardly and downwardly. 0. .
5. A container according to claim 4, wherein disposed outwardly of the transitional panel is a tabbed panel which includes a plurality of tabs for engaging with a corresponding plurality of slots in the front body panel.
6. A container according to claims 4 or 5, wherein the side body panels further comprise respective forwardly projecting substantially triangular portions.
7. A container according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the side body panels are provided with transition panels.
8. A container according to any preceding claim, and further comprising, in combination, a frame assembly comprising a frame support memberfor contacting a surface or the ground, one or more plant container support members supported by said frame support member and for extending substantially parallelly to the surface or ground, and a bracket device attached to the or each plant container support member for receiving said container.
9. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein one of said loop of body portions includes mounting means for mounting a fluid-delivery device on said container.
10. A container according to claim 9 as appended to claim 3, wherein said mounting means is in the form of a panel located at an upper edge zone of at least one of the side body panels.
11. A container according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the mounting means comprises a movable flap.
12. A container according to any preceding claim, said container further comprising a scale on the inside and/or outside surface to indicate the level at which the second base portion is to be positioned.
13. A method of forming a container comprising erecting from a container blank a container for holding a growing media and including a first base portion and a loop of body portions arranged about said first base portion and extending -15 therefrom, positioning a second base portion, of substantially the same size as said first base portion, substantially parallelly to the first base portion and at an Q elevated position in said container with respect to said first base portion and subsequently loading said container with said growing media.
14. A method according to claim 13, and further comprising mounting a bracket device to a first support, suspending said plant container from said bracket device, removing said plant container from said bracket device, transferring said plant container to a second support including a second bracket device substantially identical to the first-mentioned bracket device.
15. A method according to claims 13 or 14, wherein one of said loop of body portions forms a front body panel of said container, and folding a transition panel outwardly about a line of weakness between said front body panel and said transition panel so as to extend obliquely downwardly and outwardly from an upper edge zone of said front body panel.
16. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, and subsequently mounting a fluid-delivery device to said container.
17. A frame assembly comprising a frame support member for contacting a surface or the ground, one or more plant container support members supported by said frame support member and for extending substantially parallelly to the surface or ground, and a bracket device attached to the or each plant container support member for receiving a plant container for holding a growth media.
18. A frame assembly according to claim 17, wherein the or each plant container support members includes a plant support frame.
19. A frame assembly according to claim 18, wherein the plant support frame includes a plurality of cross-bars.
20. A frame assembly according to any one of claims 17 to 19, and further comprising a plurality of end-piece frame support members arranged to receive the or each container support members in an echelon formation.
21. A method comprising mounting a bracket device to a first support, suspending a plant container from said bracket device, removing said plant y-15 container from said bracket device, transferring said plant container to a second support including a second bracket device substantially identical to the first-Q mentioned bracket device.
22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said transferring comprises changing the environmental conditions in which a plant in said plant container grows.
23. A container formed from a substantially flat container blank and for holding a growing media comprising a base portion, a loop of body portions arranged about said base portion and extending from said base portion, wherein one of said loop of body portions forms a front body panel which includes, at an upper edge zone, a forwardly projecting transition panel arranged to extend obliquely downwardly and outwardly from said upper edge zone.
24. A container according to claim 23, wherein one of said loop of body portions includes mounting means for mounting a fluid-delivery device on said container.
25. A container according to claim 23 or 24, wherein disposed outwardly of the transitional panel is a tabbed panel which includes a plurality of tabs for engaging with a corresponding plurality of slots in the front body panel.
26. A container according to any one of claims 23 to 25, wherein respective side body panels of said container comprise respective forwardly projecting substantially triangular portions.
27. A method of forming a container comprising erecting from a substantially flat container blank a container for holding a growing media and including a base portion and a loop of body portions arranged about said base portion and extending therefrom, one of said loop of body portions forming a front body panel of said container, and folding a transition panel outwardly about a line of weakness between said front body panel and said transition panel so as to extend obliquely downwardly and outwardly from an upper edge zone of said front body panel.
28. A method according to claim 27, and subsequently mounting a fluid-delivery device to said container.

Q
29. A container for holding a growing media comprising a base portion, a loop of body portions arranged about said base portion and extending from said base portion, wherein one of said loop of body portions includes mounting means for mounting a fluid-delivery device on said container.
30. A container according to claim 29, wherein said mounting means is located at an upper edge zone of the one of the loop of body portions.
31. A container according to claim 29 or 30, wherein said mounting means in the form of a panel.
32. A container according to claim 31, wherein said panel is movable.
33. A method of forming a container comprising erecting from a container blank a container for holding a growing media and including a base portion and a loop of body portions arranged about said base portion and extending therefrom, and subsequently mounting a fluid-delivery device to said container.
34. A method according to claim 33, and further comprising retaining said fluid delivery device on the container.
35. An identification device blank of substantially flat material comprising a lower supporting portion and an upper head portion connected to an upper end region of the supporting portion, wherein the supporting portion and the head portion include corresponding engaging means for engaging with each other when the finished identification device is formed.
36. A blank according to claim 35, wherein the lower supporting portion includes a central longitudinal line of weakness.
37. A blank according to claim 36, and further comprising, at an upper end region of the lower supporting portion, on respective opposite sides of the central longitudinal line of weakness, a pair of inwardly projecting slots.
38. A blank according to claim 36 or 37, wherein the lower supporting portion is connected to the upper head portion by way of a connecting piece.
39. A blank according to claim 38, wherein at respective opposite lateral sides Nm of the connecting piece and extending initially upwardly and then upwardly and outwardly of the head portion are another pair of slots forming a Y-shaped portion.
40. A method of forming an identification device from a substantially flat blank comprising folding a head portion of the identification device blank about a line of weakness between the head portion and a supporting portion of the identification device and engaging respective corresponding engaging means located at the supporting portion and the head portion, so as to form the identification device with a part of the head portion extending transversely to the supporting portion.
41. A method according to claim 40, wherein the lower supporting portion includes a central longitudinal line of weakness about which the lower supporting portion is folded to form a stake portion.
42. A method according to claim 40 or 41, wherein the lower supporting portion is connected to the upper head portion by way of a connecting piece.
43. A method according to claim 42, wherein the head portion is folded about the central longitudinal line of weaknesses between the head portion and the supporting portion to bring the connecting piece into a face-to-face relationship with the supporting portion.
44. A method according to any one of claims 40 to 43, wherein the head portion in the formed identification device is arranged to provide a surface on which to indicate a plant variety.
45. A cover for a refuse bin comprising a top portion and a body portion, the top and body portions being connected by a gusset portion, wherein the gusset portion includes an opening to enable passage of refuse into said refuse bin.
46. A cover according to claim 45, wherein said gusset portion extends partially about the boundary between the lid portion and the body portion.
47. A cover according to claim 45 or 46, wherein the gusset portion is made of a net fabric.

Q
48. A cover according to any one of claims 45 to 47, and further comprising one or more pockets arranged to overhang into the bin interior.
49. A cover according to claim 48, wherein the or each pocket have inserted therein perfumed devices and/or insecticide devices.
50. A method comprising covering with a cover at least a top part of a refuse bin having a lid, removing the lid of the bin so as to expand a gusseted portion of said cover in the region of the lid and inserting refuse into the bin via an opening in the gusseted portion.
51. A method according to claim 50, and further comprising inserting into one or more pockets in the region of the gusseted portion perfumed devices and/or insecticide devices.
52. Apparatus comprising: one or more plant containers for holding a growing media a frame assembly for supporting the or each plant container, the frame assembly comprising a frame support member and one or more plant container support members supported by the frame support member, and a bracket device attachable to the or each plant container support member and for receiving the or each plant container thereon.
53. A container, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
54. A method, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
55. A frame assembly, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 and 5.
56. A method, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 and 5.
57. An identification device, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 6.
58. A method, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure N. 15 6.
59. A cover, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 12.
60. A method, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 12.
61. Apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5.