How to Properly Store your Cannabis Flower
When it comes to storing cannabis, the steps you should take are simple but can increase the quality and extend the lifespan of your cannabis flower.
When you purchase cannabis flower it is smart to ensure that you get the most out of your product; it is your money, so do not waste it by making storage mistakes!
Avoid Leaving Your Flower in Plastic
Remove your cannabis from the plastic bag or container it came in. The plastic is a cheap way to package cannabis to be sold to consumers but it is not the best way to store your cannabis.
Leaving your cannabis in the plastic bag or container that it came in can degrade the trichomes and cannabinoids.
This is important to know because trichomes are directly related to the quantity and quality of cannabinoids present in the cannabis flower.
One of the best ways to store your cannabis is to use mason jars (think of the preserve jars for making jellies and jams). These jars make storing and maintaining the quality of your cannabis safe, effective and easy. Mason jars come in a variety of sizes and are readily available at most large chain grocery stores and other big box stores like Walmart.
Ensure that the jars are sterilized and dry before using them. Hot water and a small amount of dish soap should do the trick or put them in the dishwasher and then rinse them.
Fill your mason jars too around 75% - 80% of its full capacity by lightly placing the cannabis buds on top of one another.
This is the way many experts keep the cannabis from getting to dry (too much air) or too moist (not enough air or air flow). Once the cannabis fills under 60% of the jar you may want to use a smaller jar and repeat the steps above.
How to Maximize the Longevity and Quality of your Flower?
The one disadvantage of all transparent/translucent glass containers is that light is able to get through the sides of the glass jar and will degrade the cannabis. If left in direct sunlight, this causes something called “bleaching,” which decreases the quantity and quality of the available cannabinoids in the cannabis.
Here at Kanteeva we suggest that you use one of the following methods to limit the amount of light that reaches the cannabis flower in your glass jar:
- Buy jars that have a UV protectant film on them, like this one
- Use hockey tape or electrical tape and wrap the outside of the jar so no light can get in
- Paint the exterior of the jar with a black acrylic paint to hide the cannabis flower within from sunlight
- Store your jar in a cupboard or drawer that is completely hidden from direct sunlight and cool
Dried and cured Cannabis Flower does not like light (artificial or natural), moist conditions or to be constantly handled because all of these things cause cannabinoid degradation and will decrease the effectiveness of the medicine. Although cannabis flower does not “go bad’’ in the same way that other organic plant matter will, it does not take long for cannabis flower to lose medical efficacy and potency when stored improperly.
Other tips for storing cannabis include using hydration packs that are 62% humidity or less, as too much moisture changes the smell of the cannabis flower and can cause mold or mildew to develop.
You should not have to worry about your cannabis becoming too dry.
Generally speaking, as long as you have properly dried and cured flower, you should be able to consume it within 6-12 months with little to no fear of it "drying out."
We suggest using humidity packs, only if the flower is extremely dry to begin with or needs to be stored for long periods of time.
How to Handle Your Cannabis and Where to Store it?
Simply touching the cannabis flower with your fingers can damage the trichomes due to the natural oils produced by your skin. If you want to mitigate the potential damage caused by overhandling, you can use tweezers to pick up the cannabis flower out of the glass container.
Always remember that if children are in the house always keep your cannabis flower locked up in a secure and private place. Cannabis is like any other medication; it must be kept out of the hands of children.
Avoid putting your cannabis in the fridge or freezer. The cold temperatures will make the trichomes turn brittle and they will fall off easily.
Remember, the trichomes of the cannabis flower are where the highest concentrations of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids are found!
How to Rescue Your Cannabis?
Below are some simple tips to use if your cannabis needs to be rescued because it is too dry or too wet.
What if your Cannabis is too Dry?
- Use a humidity pack. Buy here.
- DO NOT add water or anything else to the cannabis flower
- DO NOT remove the lid of the storage jar if you do not have to
What if your Cannabis is too Moist?
- “Burp” by removing the lid of the mason jar a few times a day or a few minutes or hours at a time. This depends on how moist the cannabis flower is.
- Within a day or two of “burping” the mason jar you will notice that the moist cannabis flower is beginning to dry out. If you have really high levels of humidity in your region or home BE CAREFUL because exposing cannabis flower to moist air will cause mold and/or mildew!
- Use a humidity pack. Buy here.
Final Thoughts
Mason jars are the simple, easy and cost effective way to store your cannabis, although there are more consumer options becoming available. Some of the most popular “out of the box” storage containers include:
The companies above, make cannabis specific storage containers that will keep your flower fresh and tasty, if you do not want to make your own cannabis storage containers.
How do you store your cannabis? We invite you to share your questions, comments and stories below.
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