Patent ID: 8329268

Claim:
A paper-based plant pot comprising: a container formed from a sheet of paper-based material wrapped about an axis, opposite edge portions of the sheet being secured to each other, the container having a side wall that encircles the axis and a bottom wall formed by a plurality of bottom panels of the sheet folded inwardly from a lower edge of the side wall and secured to one another to form the bottom wall, wherein the sheet comprises: a paperboard substrate formed of natural cellulose fibers, the paperboard substrate having a thickness defined between opposite major surfaces thereof; an internal sizing composition incorporated into the paperboard substrate so as to render the paperboard substrate substantially resistant to saturation by liquid water; and a thermoplastic polymer layer on one of the major surfaces of the paperboard substrate; the sheet being oriented such that the thermoplastic polymer layer faces an interior of the container and forms an inner surface thereof for contact with soil placed in the container; wherein the sheet comprises a side wall panel having a top edge and an opposite bottom edge, the side wall panel forming the side wall of the container when the sheet is wrapped about the axis, the plurality of bottom panels being integrally formed with the side wall panel and extending from the bottom edge thereof, wherein each of the bottom panels has a proximal end integrally connected to the bottom edge of the side wall panel, an opposite distal end that defines a free edge, and a pair of opposite side edges extending between the proximal and distal ends, wherein each of the bottom panels is folded inwardly about a fold line defined at a juncture between the proximal end of the bottom panel and the bottom edge of the side wall panel, the bottom panels being positioned with respect to one another such that the bottom wall of the container has a recessed configuration and being secured to one another in said recessed configuration, a center of the bottom wall thus being at a higher vertical level than the juncture between the side wall panel and the bottom panels, and wherein each of the bottom panels has a length from the proximal end to the distal end that is less than a radius of the bottom wall of the container, such that a central hole is defined in the bottom wall, the central hole being delimited by the distal ends of the bottom panels.