An improved storage container is disclosed for housing items in an enclosed housing with a tamper-evident closure that is easily removed to form a storage container for the items. The storage container includes a container formed as a thin walled, hollow body closed at either end by end members and a peripheral wall defining top and bottom openings which are suitable for closure by the end members. The end member include a plurality of flaps that are integral with and extend from the hollow body and are folded over one another and then joined to each other. A perforation and tear strip encircles the peripheral wall of the hollow body.

Provided are methods and compositions for improving storage and/or transportation of food, flowers, plants, or the like by coating of the same with silk proteins or other substances including silk fibroin, chitin, acetylated monoglycerides, shellac, starch, high fructose corn syrup, mayauba wax, maydelilla wax, beeswax, vegetable oil, paraffin oil, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, cellulose, pectin, alginate, chitosan, gum Arabic, soy protein, zein, casein, and/or whey.

A binding wrap for maintaining the hydration of cut flowers is disclosed. The wrap is formed by folding a flexible, absorbent sheet over and around the stems of cut flowers. An assembly of a bouquet of cut flowers with a flexible, absorbent binding wrap folded around its stems is also disclosed as is a method of forming such a wrap.

Cyclodextrin compositions including one or more radiation polymerizable monomers and a cyclodextrin inclusion complex, the cyclodextrin inclusion complex including a cyclodextrin compound and an olefinic inhibitor of an ethylene generation in produce, are coated onto packaging materials and cured. Treated containers and treated package inserts having the cured cyclodextrin compositions are useful in packaging of respiring plant materials.

A fresh produce storage device has a pocket with an opening for receiving fresh produce. The pocket is formed, at least in part, from a composite sheet of material having at least one inner layer formed from a water permeable material, a central later formed from a water absorbent wadding, and an outer layer formed from a water permeable material.

Plastic grid or framework arrangements are used to support and position of bowls that hold flower arrangements, candles, letters, and other decorative elements. These grids are deployable in water fountains, indoor and outdoor pools, and other small bodies of water during festive occasions or for longer term decorative display. The grid themselves do not float, and are positioned below the surface of the water, and thus are not readily visible. Buoyancy is provided at the hubs that form nodes in the grids. The hubs also support floating bowls containing various decorative elements. The resulting effect is that the various decorative elements appear to be floating on the surface while the sub-surface grid structure maintains their relative positioning, keeping the bowls from clumping together at the edges or in the corners of the pool or fountain.

An example apparatus includes a greeting card portion having at least a back flap, a container housing coupled to the back flap of the greeting card portion, and at least one fluid container secured within the container housing, the fluid container including an opening to receive at least one stem of a flower therein, the fluid container further including a fluid to nourish the flower via the stem.

The invention provides a device and method for quickly, easily and accurately removing flowers or buds from a plant stem in a single step by using a device that is a cover or partial cover for a bucket or container that can be attached and removed from the bucket or container, and the device further providing one or more substantially rigid grooves or shaped edges and pressing an herb or stem of herbs or plants firmly into and against the one or more grooves or shaped edges utilizing a method according to the invention to permit stripping or removing the flower(s) or bud(s) that are attached to the plant or herb stem in a single step. In a preferred aspect, the invention provides such devices and methods that include a device having a plurality of grooves or shaped edges that can efficiently catch and strip buds or flowers from herbs or plants.

A container for transporting an item is provided having an outer case member erectable from a collapsed configuration to an erected configuration and at least one erectable support member fixedly attached to the outer case member. The support member may include: a first base panel; a second base panel foldably coupled to the first base panel to form a folded, dual-layer structure; a first functional portion foldably coupled to the first base panel and being foldable to form a structure to at least one of partially support or partially secure the item to be transported within the outer case member; and a second functional portion foldably coupled to the second base panel and being foldable to form another structure to at least one of partially support or partially secure the item to be transported within the outer case member. Methods of packaging and transporting an item in a container are also provided.

This invention provides systems and methods of preserving cut plants. The system can include a container partly full of a gel media covered with a liquid media, meeting the initial high liquid demand of cut plants, while providing spill control for shipping and handling. The methods include preparation of the system container to receive cut plants through an upper liquid media layer into a lower gel layer.