Who now sells the square BEF type polypropylene pots. The links I had for replacement suppliers now seem to have gone dead.

DaveW

Hi Dave,
I think it is Philip Barker.

Phil White
Wiltshire, England

Okay I've held out for a while on trying not to sound stupid on this one but I'm going to have to cave in, I see the term regularly here - What exactly are BEF pots and what's so special about them ?

Not quite sure what BEF actually stands for, don't know whether its an old manufacturer or the type of plastic, but whatever it is, pots made from this plastic are very long lived, they don't seem to become fragile after a few years of greenhouse use as some other pots do.

Chris
Amersham UK
Member of High Wycombe Branch
Happy for other Forum members to drop by - pm first.

[www.woodedge.co.uk]

BEF pots are square, squat, very stiff, and made from a plastic which stands up to years of intense UV without crumbling into dust. All desirable qualities in our hobby. Here's some old ones, although you don't get much choice with the colour any more.


Philip Barker is the new supplier. He hits most of the shows and conventions, or you can contact him directly on 01942 256440 or philip@barker3832.freeserve.co.uk.

--ian
Cheshire, UK

I guess I'll learn the importance of them in time as my existing pots fade into uselessness then

we don't have them in turkey

Devrim, Izmir/Turkey
member of BCSS and MSG

BEF was the manufacturer, British Engineering Foundry. When they went bust various people took over some of the moulds and have pots made, presumably to the original recipe.

Len Bell, Born-again Colchester member of the Clacton Branch BCSS; Mesemb Study Group; Mamm Soc & Haworthia Soc.
On the Forum since Sept 2007. Particularly keen on ... Lithops; Adros; Haworthias; Mamms;Lobivias;
Eriosyce; Euphorbias; Astros; Notos; Conos; Aloes; Agaves; Feros; Stenos; Echinocerei; Etc.; Etc.; ...
View a few at: [picasaweb.google.com]
Fellow Forum followers' visitations welcome. Please PM first.

Thanks Len, I have always wondered about that!

Chris
Amersham UK
Member of High Wycombe Branch
Happy for other Forum members to drop by - pm first.

[www.woodedge.co.uk]

I think they are made out of polypropylene not polystyrene, which after a year or so degrades in sunlight in the greenhouse and when you pick them up by the rim it breaks off and the plant often drops to the floor damaging it.

BEF was the first manufacturer we came across making these pots and they were the first to stand up to long term greenhouse use, but they ceased trading years ago but other firms continued making the same type. I am still using some that must be 10 years old.

Of course commercial nurserymen did not need them because polystyrene lasted a few years and was cheaper, so they had sold the plants before pot degradation became a problem, but to we long term greenhouse growers BEF pots were a godsend.

DaveW

Unfortunately Philip who is a forum member is having difficulty getting new supplies made because of the relatively small quantities involved, I had hoped that an acquaintance of mine would take them on as he specialises in small production runs but he is looking at relocating abroad and doesn't want to commit to any new customers until he decides what to he is doing.

I think it may reach a point that unless Philip can get some firm orders for reasonable quantities from growers and branches, more sizes will become unavailable as the genuine BEF 2" already is.

=======================================
Website, Gallery and Wants
If you are in North Wales visitors are welcome PM/E-mail first and bring CAKE.

DaveW Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I am still using some that must be
> 10 years old.


10 years is nothing to a good quality BEF. I'm still using some I got in 1986!

Sadly it is looking like the 2" (my preference for sowing seeds)will be going the way of the BEF Square long tom and the 4.25" BEF dwarf round. Both of which are missed for those awkward cacti and succulents

It seems im[possible to get small square pots that aren't too deep for our requirements. Surely some of the cactus nurseries and/or their commercial suppliers can get hold of such things.

Not quite so new to cacti now - greenhouse up and running - a cactoholic is born!! Visits welcome - just get in touch.

What do you mean by too deep Serena, the BEF type small pot are 2" cubes which I find perfect for most small plants and if anything not deep enough at times.

=======================================
Website, Gallery and Wants
If you are in North Wales visitors are welcome PM/E-mail first and bring CAKE.

Try planting Mammillaria plumosa in a Sankey pot and you'll soon find out what too deep is. Most fibrous rooted cacti don't have roots like a Haworthia or Lithops, and a good pot shape for them is shallower than wide especially in the larger sizes.

Hard enough finding any pot in a garden centre that isn't the standard Sankey. We must give thanks for the internet age, even if we had to go through the age of "no demand for it, mate" first

--ian
Cheshire, UK

Yes Ian I find those std GC pots too deep for many plants, including Haworthia pariculary young plants nearly all mine are in BEFs.

is as in "you're the tenth person this week to ask for those, nah we don't stock them there is no demand for them"

=======================================
Website, Gallery and Wants
If you are in North Wales visitors are welcome PM/E-mail first and bring CAKE.

I too am nearly fully converted to square BEF pots except for the larger plants.

It seems a pity that there cannot be regular supply of all and even new and different size and shape pots availabe. I fully appeciate Phillips position regarding the presumably very large orders required to justify a production run.

Is there a possibility that our relatively wealthy society could step in somehow and help finance production for the benefit of its members

Mike

Newish collector/grower; mixed lot in a new 12x18 g/h and my old re-erected 10x8 - good job I didn't sell it !

The site I was originally trying to find on the Web was Mega Pots Ltd, where I got a batch of the 2" square BEF type pots for seed raising about a year ago, but their Web site now seems unobtainable. I think the owners name was Malcolm Pym?

The address I had for them was:-

Mega Pots Ltd,
Woodbury House,
Lincoln Close,
Exmouth,
Devon,
EX8 5QN

Are they still going does anybody know, because a friend in Malta wants a source for square, what I suppose we should now be calling BEF type pots since BEF no longer make them.

DaveW



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 24/04/08 11:26 by DaveW.

Malcolm passed the business to Peter, but there is no website now. I don't think the problem is one of finance, but finding a plastics manufacturer who is prepared to mess about with the "tiny" 10,000 pot production runs

--ian
Cheshire, UK

What size production run would most places be willing to handle do you know?