Abstract: A planter capable of being hung from an elevated support includes an open-topped container for containing dirt or potting soil placed therein and a plurality of suspension elements, or cords, which are disposed about and are attached to or act upon the container for suspending the container from an elevated support. The suspension elements extend upwardly from the peripheral edge of the container top and are joined together at a common point disposed above the container for suspension of the planter from the elevated support. In addition, a spacer member is arranged and spaced above the top of the container and cooperates with the suspension elements for preventing the suspension cords from converging toward one another for a distance above the container which corresponds with the spaced distance between the container top and the spacer member.

Abstract: A planter including a center post and a series of upwardly-opening disc-shaped growing compartments which are arranged in a sequential relationship along the length of the center post and are suspended from the top of the center post. Each of the growing compartments has a center opening through which the center post extends so that the growing compartments are maintained in a centered relationship about the center post. Furthermore, a lowermost growing compartment has a substantially solid bottom for containing dirt or potting soil placed therein, and the remainder of the growing compartments have bottoms within which including relatively large openings are defined to accommodate the passage of relatively large clumps of dirt or potting soil through the bottoms thereof so that each of the growing compartments can be filled with dirt or potting soil placed into the uppermost growing compartment.

Abstract: A stand (20) from which a planter (22) can be suspended includes a hollow center post (28) having one end (48) which opens downwardly when the post is arranged substantially vertically. A plurality of openings (66) are defined about the center post, and a plurality of leg members (72) are arranged about the center post. Each of the leg members includes a foot end (76) and two post-engaging portions (94 and 84) wherein a first (94) of the post-engaging portions is accepted by a corresponding one of the openings defined about the center post and a second (84) of the post-engaging portions is accepted by the downwardly-opening end of the center post. In addition, a retainer assembly (70) cooperates between the center post and the leg members for preventing the withdrawal of the first of the post-engaging portions from the openings defined about the center post and for preventing the withdrawal of the second of the post-engaging portions from the downwardly-opening end of the center post.

Abstract: A planter for growing a transplantable plant includes a container having a sidewall and a bottom and further includes a retainer member for retaining a plant which has been transplanted within the container through the sidewall or bottom thereof. The retainer member defines an expandable opening which is movable between expanded and normally-collapsed conditions so that by urging a plant root system end-first against the retainer member, the expandable opening is moved to an expanded condition to permit the root system to pass through the expandable opening into the container interior. Upon passage of the root system through the expandable opening, the expandable opening is permitted to return toward its normally-collapsed condition about the stem of the plant to thereby prevent the withdrawal of the root system of the plant from the container interior through the plant retainer.

Abstract: A planter includes a center post and a series of upwardly-opening disc-shaped growing compartments which are arranged in a sequential relationship along the length of the center post and are suspended from the top of the center post. Each of the growing compartments has a center opening through which the center post extends so that the growing compartments are maintained in a centered relationship about the center post. Furthermore, a lowermost growing compartment has a substantially solid bottom for containing dirt or potting soil placed therein, and the remainder of the growing compartments have bottoms within which including relatively large openings are defined to accommodate the passage of relatively large clumps of dirt or potting soil through the bottoms thereof so that each of the growing compartments can be filled with dirt or potting soil placed into the uppermost growing compartment.

Abstract: A planter capable of being hung from an elevated support includes an open-topped container for containing dirt or potting soil placed therein and a plurality of suspension elements, or cords, which are disposed about and are attached to or act upon the container for suspending the container from an elevated support. The suspension elements extend upwardly from the peripheral edge of the container top and are joined together at a common point disposed above the container for suspension of the planter from the elevated support. In addition, a spacer member is arranged and spaced above the top of the container and cooperates with the suspension elements for preventing the suspension cords from converging toward one another for a distance above the container which corresponds with the spaced distance between the container top and the spacer member.

Abstract: A watering wand system for delivering water to an elevated planter utilizes a stiff hollow tube having a crooked head end which accommodates the hooking of the head end over the upper edge of a planter, a grip of substantial thickness, and a spacer member joined to the tube adjacent the head end thereof which separates the head end of the tube from the dirt or potting soil contained within the planter when the head end is hooked over the upper edge of the planter. A conduit is connected to the tube for delivery of water to the tube from a source, a nutrient-containing assembly is connected in-line with the conduit, and a valve assembly is associated with the conduit for permitting a user to set the rate of water flowing through the tube at relatively slow conditions.

Abstract: A nutrient-holding and flow control system (20) for connection in-line with the flow of water to a plant includes a receptacle (50) having an interior (101) into which nutrients (103) can be positioned and a dispensing head (60) including a substantially circular conduit ring (74) having at least one hose section (82 or 84) having perforated sidewalls (86) through which water and dissolved nutrients are permitted to seep. An intermediate conduit arrangement (80) is joined intermediate the receptacle and the conduit ring for conducting water and dissolved nutrients from the receptacle into the conduit ring at multiple locations thereabout which are disposed at regular spaced intervals around the conduit ring. In addition, a flow controller (52) is associated with the receptacle for permitting a user to shut off or adjust the flow rate of water through the receptacle.

Abstract: A planter for growing a transplantable plant includes a container having a sidewall and a bottom and further includes a retainer member for retaining a plant which has been transplanted within the container through the sidewall or bottom thereof. The retainer member defines an expandable opening which is movable between expanded and normally-collapsed conditions so that by urging a plant root system end-first against the retainer member, the expandable opening is moved to an expanded condition to permit the root system to pass through the expandable opening into the container interior. Upon passage of the root system through the expandable opening, the expandable opening is permitted to return toward its normally-collapsed condition about the stem of the plant to thereby prevent the withdrawal of the root system of the plant from the container interior through the plant retainer.

Abstract: A stand (20) from which a planter (22) can be suspended includes a hollow center post (28) having one end (48) which opens downwardly when the post is arranged substantially vertically. A plurality of openings (66) are defined about the center post, and a plurality of leg members (72) are arranged about the center post. Each of the leg members includes a foot end (76) and two post-engaging portions (94 and 84) wherein a first (94) of the post-engaging portions is accepted by a corresponding one of the openings defined about the center post and a second (84) of the post-engaging portions is accepted by the downwardly-opening end of the center post. In addition, a retainer assembly (70) cooperates between the center post and the leg members for preventing the withdrawal of the first of the post-engaging portions from the openings defined about the center post and for preventing the withdrawal of the second of the post-engaging portions from the downwardly-opening end of the center post.

Abstract: A planter for growing a transplantable plant includes a container having a sidewall and a bottom and further includes a retainer member for retaining a plant which has been transplanted within the container through the sidewall or bottom thereof. The retainer member defines an expandable opening which is movable between expanded and normally-collapsed conditions so that by urging a plant root system end-first against the retainer member, the expandable opening is moved to an expanded condition to permit the root system to pass through the expandable opening into the container interior. Upon passage of the root system through the expandable opening, the expandable opening is permitted to return toward its normally-collapsed condition about the stem of the plant to thereby prevent the withdrawal of the root system of the plant from the container interior through the plant retainer.

Abstract: A nutrient-holding and flow control system (22) for connection in-line with the flow of water to a plant includes a receptacle (50) having an interior (82) into which nutrients (84) can be positioned and including an inlet port (104) into which water is permitted to flow into the interior of the receptacle and an outlet port (108) through which water and nutrients are permitted to exit the interior of the receptacle and flow toward a plant. In addition, a flow controller (52) is associated with the receptacle for permitting a user to adjust the flow rate of water through the receptacle.

Abstract: A planter for growing a transplantable plant includes a container having a sidewall and a bottom and further includes a retainer member for retaining a plant which has been transplanted within the container through the sidewall or bottom thereof. The retainer member defines an expandable opening which is movable between expanded and normally-collapsed conditions so that by urging a plant root system end-first against the retainer member, the expandable opening is moved to an expanded condition to permit the root system to pass through the expandable opening into the container interior. Upon passage of the root system through the expandable opening, the expandable opening is permitted to return toward its normally-collapsed condition about the stem of the plant to thereby prevent the withdrawal of the root system of the plant from the container interior through the plant retainer.

Abstract: A planter for growing a transplantable plant within dirt or potting soil includes a container for containing dirt or potting soil and which has sidewalls and an interior. The sidewalls defines at least one grow port which provides access to the interior of the container, and the planter further includes a plant insertion sleeve having two side sections which are hingedly connected to one another for hinged movement between opened and closed conditions so that when the sleeve is positioned in its opened condition, the root system of a plant to be transplanted is positionable within one of the side sections of the sleeve, and the side sections can be subsequently moved to a closed condition about the root system to place the plant insertion sleeve and root system in condition for insertion into a grow port of the container for continued growth of the plant within dirt or potting soil contained within the container.

Abstract: A planter for growing a transplantable plant within dirt or potting soil includes a container for containing dirt or potting soil and which has sidewalls and an interior. The sidewalls defines at least one grow port which provides access to the interior of the container, and the planter further includes a plant insertion sleeve having two side sections which are hingedly connected to one another for hinged movement between opened and closed conditions so that when the sleeve is positioned in its opened condition, the root system of a plant to be transplanted is positionable within one of the side sections of the sleeve, and the side sections can be subsequently moved to a closed condition about the root system to place the plant insertion sleeve and root system in condition for insertion into a grow port of the container for continued growth of the plant within dirt or potting soil contained within the container.

Abstract: A planter for growing a transplanted plant upside down utilizes a container having an interior, a bottom and a hole defined within the bottom and further utilizes a retainer member which is attachable to the plant desired to be transplanted within the planter. Furthermore, the retainer member cooperates with the container for supporting the plant through the hole defined within the container bottom so that the root system is exposed to the interior of the container and so that the plant stem extends downwardly from the bottom of the container.

Abstract: A planter for growing a transplanted plant upside down utilizes a container having an interior, a bottom and a hole defined within the bottom and further utilizes a retainer member which is attachable to the plant desired to be transplanted within the planter. Furthermore, the retainer member cooperates with the container for supporting the plant through the hole defined within the container bottom so that the root system is exposed to the interior of the container and so that the plant stem extends downwardly from the bottom of the container.

Abstract: A tray assembly for conveying food to and from a cooking site utilizes first and second covers wherein each cover has a cup-shaped form and a peripheral edge which extends around the cup-shaped form of the first cover, and further utilizes an intermediate section positionable between the first and second covers. The intermediate section provides two opposite tray surfaces against which food can be placed for conveying purposes and has a boundary edge section, and the boundary edge section cooperates with the peripheral edges of the first and second covers so that the first and second covers can be placed in snug-fitting relationship with the intermediate section along the boundary edge section thereof. Therefore, when any residue or fluid which may be left from or flow from uncooked food carried upon one of the tray surfaces of the intermediate section to the cooking site is isolated from the other tray surface of the intermediate section.

Abstract: A popcorn popper (10) for more effectively popping popcorn by agitating the popcorn during the heating process with a floating stirring system, the floating stirring system being designed to avoid jamming while the popcorn is being agitated and popped and to draw unpopped kernels to the center of the popping surface, including those kernels which tend to remain about the periphery. The popcorn popper (10) includes a popcorn receptacle (12) into which unpopped kernels are placed for popping. The lid assembly (14) includes a pair of doors (54 and 56) attached to a spine (40), the spine (40) being releasably secured to the popcorn receptacle (12). A stirring assembly (16) is provided for agitating the popcorn in the popcorn receptacle (12) and includes a handle (80) for gripping the popper (10), a cooperating drive shaft (94) and stirring shaft (124), and a floating stirring rod (138) for engaging the popcorn kernels, the floating stirring rod (138) being driven by the cooperating shafts (94 and 124).