Studies show that cannabinoids stay stable for as long as 2 years if you cure them and store them properly in the right environment. However, you will be able to store them in the right manner when you have a complete understanding of factors that degrade your cannabis flower. Let us look at few of the important factors that result in degradation of your weed and steps you can take to prevent such a thing from happening.
Factors That Cause Degradation of Your Weeds
Factor #1: Light
Similar to how UV rays turn color of your car appear dull, the harsh sunlight will degrade valuable compounds present in your cannabis flower such as terpenes and cannabinoids. Thus, it will be necessary to store cannabis plant inside opaque containers and keep them at a distance from direct sunlight.
Factor #2: Air
Second crucial factor that play its role in long term storage of cannabis is oxygen level in the container. If there is too much of oxygen present in the container then it will expedite the degradation process of cannabis. On the other hand, if oxygen level is less than required then it will change humidity levels inside the container and cause mildew or mold.
The best solution to safeguard your cannabis flower from continued oxygen exposure is to utilize vacuum seals. But, if you do not have vacuum seals then the next best thing will be airtight containers. The airtight container you select should be of right size since if there is excess oxygen present inside the container then it will result in degradation of your cannabis flower. As such, you need to look for containers that are able to hold the cannabis without leaving too much of space and also not crowding the buds.
Factor #3: Moisture
Keeping your cannabis flowers dry is quite important to prevent the problem of mold. However, if cannabis become too much dry then it results in degradation of cannabinoids and terpenes present in them. As such, you need to maintain right humidity level if you want to store your cannabis for long term. In an ideal situation, the relative humidity should be between fifty-nine and sixty-three. There are several humidity control options that you can make use of for this purpose. For example, there are some humidity control capsules available, which are capable of discharging or absorbing moisture as required to keep cannabis at right humidity levels and help them maintain right potency.
Additionally, you need to make sure that the cannabis flowers do not feel moist and the mason jars used for storing them do not sweat. If they do, then it is a sign that they still have moisture and storing them will not be the right thing to do. You need to remember that wetness and moisture results in deterioration of potency levels and buds start turning brown faster.
Factor #4: Temperature
If temperatures are high then buds start to dry out and in addition, evaporation of terpenes takes place. This causes unpleasant flavor and harsh smokes. Since, mold starts growing in temperatures between 78-86 degrees Fahrenheit, the cannabis need to be stored below this temperature range. Thus, the best thing to do is to store your cannabis flowers in a dark corner or inside a closet.
Temperature fluctuations also have a negative effect over cannabis flowers. For instance, cold temperature exposure, then hot temperature, and then again cold temperature will not be helpful for your buds. Similarly, avoid storing your buds near electronic items that tend to heat up. The main aim should be to keep the cannabis flowers at steady temperature till they are used.
Lastly, you should avoid refrigeration since refrigerators do not maintain temperature and humidity with consistency. However, for longer storage what you can do is put them into the freezer.
Other Aspects to Keep Note Of
Apart from the above factors, there are few other aspects that you need to look into. Let us go through the details here.
- Selection of Container for Storage: You need to be aware of the fact that plastic jars tend to facilitate sweating. Thus, the most viable option is vacuum sealing. However, you are not able to utilize vacuum sealing purchase ceramic containers or mason jars that have air tight seals. By using such containers you will be able to keep cannabis flowers fresher for a longer duration.
- Proper Moisture Control: Many people have the misconception that keeping few fruit rinds in the cannabis jar help in keeping the buds rehydrated and improves flavors. However, it is not correct since cannabis can absorb a lot of moisture from such fruit rinds and result in unsmokable and moldy weeds.
- Store Separately: If you are storing cannabis flowers for long term then it will be necessary to keep them in their separate container. For instance, if you store pipes, lighters, and other things along with the cannabis flowers in the same container then stench from these things will be absorbed by the weed and result in less favorable experience. You can use medication lock box which is a perfect box for your cannabis flowers.
- Avoid Using Tobacco Humidor: Normally, you will find that tobacco humidors are constructed out of cedar wood. You need to be aware of the fact that oil coming out of cedar wood will be absorbed by the cannabis flower. If this happens then flavor of your cannabis flower will get affected and it will lose its useful terpene profile. Instead, you should look for humidors specifically meant for cannabis, which are made from walnut, acacia, teak, mahogany, bamboo, or cherry wood since these will not have a direct effect over flavor or smell of your cannabis flowers.
- Curing for Long Term Storage: Before storing for long term, make sure the cannabis flowers are cured for about four weeks. The reason is that during the curing process, the smoothness and potency of your cannabis flowers improves. In addition, the curing procedure helps in creating desired moisture level before they are stored.
Author’s bio:
Jack Finkelstein has experience of 25 years in the field of sales and sales management in the market of the United States and Canada. With Med-lock he is managing the one stop shop experience for child safe pill box needs. Jack has been in touch with an extensive contact list of large U.S. and Canadian retailers for more than 25 years now.