Lemme guess…
It was a great opportunity, right?
The dispensary was running a sale on your favorite strain. You’ve just gotten your paycheck [AND the new stimulus, thank-you-very-much]. Plus, you’ve been smoking inordinate amounts of weed in the last few months.
It made sense to build up a stash… or so you thought.
Now you’re stuck with half a pound of this trichome-rich, sweet-smelling green gold, and you’re not sure what to do. You can’t possibly go through it all… and you sure as hell ain’t giving it away.
There’s only one thing to do — you have to learn to store your buds properly so they stay fresh and potent for weeks, and maybe even months [if you’re microdosing with weed, there’s a real chance that months is exactly how long this stash will last].
…
Okay, okay… so you might not have half a pound of buds in your living room. At least, I hope you don’t! 👀👀👀
But that doesn’t mean that you won’t benefit from knowing these long-term weed safekeeping tricks. They could mean the difference between lighting up a deliciously potent and savory spliff… or suffocating on a dry-ass joint that’s lost all its flavor and potency.
And if we’re talking KindCanna buds, that would be a real shame. Dry weed… stale weed… that’s definitely something that no one wants to smoke. And you shouldn’t settle for that.
Trichome-filled, Flavor-rich KindCanna Buds are Just a Few Clicks Away…
And guess what — our packaging doubles as a short-term storage container.
Click Here for a Dose of Fresh & Potent US-Grown Herb Delivered to Your Door
So stop ruining your weed… follow these tips and it will stay fresh longer!
But… first a word on why fresh weed is better weed.
Let’s get into it.
What Happens When Cannabis Gets Old?
Well, what happens to us when we get old?
We start losing our memory… things start to sag… and healthy bone converts into its pale, brittle copy. Not a great analogy here, but you get it — plant aging is a physiological process that changes the chemical and organoleptic properties of the plant. Any plant — marijuana is no exception here.
When stored carelessly [and without thinking about these important factors], you can expect your cannabis stash to:
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Lose THC Over Time
High moisture level and high temperature contribute to the breakdown of THC and other cannabinoids in marijuana. This change is slow… you likely have a good few months before noticing that anything is wrong. But a year after, you can expect your stash to lose up to 25% of THC [or more if the storage conditions were particularly unfavorable].
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THC Turns into CBN
And CBN is kind of meh, to tell you the truth. It’s something you’d look for in medical marijuana, as it’s one of those cannabinoids with strong healing properties. But, when it comes to psychoactive properties of CBN, they are mild, at best. This conversion is nothing to worry about if you’re storing weed short term as it takes time. But it’s best to prevent it with good packaging practices.
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Flavor Goes Bye-Bye
Of course, when you’re smoking weed, you want your flavor to be on point. Well, over time, that scrumptious flavor… goes away. Terpenes are notoriously fickle compounds. They start dying out sooner, rather than later. If your weed packaging isn’t just the right way — meaning no water vapor, no high humidity, no high heat, and no UV light — this process will accelerate. What you end up with then are some so-so weed buds that don’t taste or smell like weed anymore.
Now do you see why the whats, whatnots, and hows of weed storage are so important?
I thought so. Let’s move on to what packaging & storage methods work best.
5 Steps to Packaging Your Weed the Right Way
How you approach this can significantly extend the shelf life of your cannabis buds. No, it won’t make them last forever — nothing will. But a couple of months? Most definitely.
What you need to consider here are the enemies — high temperatures, water, too much moisture, direct sunlight, and UV light. These steps are designed to minimize your weed’s exposure to any of those, so follow them carefully.
#0 Make Sure Your Buds Are Cured Properly
Now, I cheated a bit here…
I promised you five steps, but there’s an extra one. Without this one, you can’t hope to move forward, execute on the others, and have a good result.
Why?
Because cannabis storage — whether you’re harvesting or stashing up — starts with a curing process. What’s curing? Curing means drying your marijuana buds the right way. Usually, you won’t have too much choice here. You get what you buy… unless you’re growing.
But, sometimes, you’ll get cannabis that hasn’t been cured the right way — it’s still fresh, and it still retains too much moisture. Before you can smoke it [or pack it up], you need to correct this. You’ll be able to do that by trimming the sugar leaves from your buds, separating them, and putting those now clean buds into airtight glass containers for a few weeks. You need to make sure that the moisture level inside the jar is just right — somewhere around 58% to 62% humidity level. After a few weeks, you’ll have a perfectly smokable herb that’s ready for long term storage.
#1 It’s All About Keeping Things Airtight
When it comes to packing cannabis for safe-keeping, the air is your enemy.
Oxygen in particular oxidizes the bud, and causes a host of chemical changes. My suggestion here would be airtight mason jars with a good seal [or any other air-tight glass jar, just make sure they’re the right size and don’t overfill them] — these work best for marijuana, and I’m talking from experience.
However, there are other options out there — ceramic containers and similar. Pretty much anything that won’t ruin the taste of your buds, or cause them to shed trichomes and all the other juicy stuff.
You can check out our post on storing prerolled blunts to get some ideas. Just avoid using plastic bags or metal — they’re no bueno for bud in the long run. Sure, you can use them as a short term storage solution, but not if you’re planning to keep your weed there for months. Pro tip — an empty medicine bottle is a good way to keep your weed fresh if you’re going on a short trip.
#2 Got Moolah? Get a Cannabis Humidor
I mean it.
If you have the money, invest in a humidor. It can be one made specifically for Mary Jane. Or it can be a cigar humidor. Either way, you can throw caution to the wind when you do this — you don’t have to worry about air temperature, water vapor, humidity packs, light, organic matter getting into your stash… nothing. This type of humidor creates optimal conditions for storing marijuana. Bonus tip — high quality humidors use certain types of wood. Cedar seems to be the best choice out there.
But, if you’re looking for a cheaper solution, then mason jars will have to do. And you’ll need to pay attention to air, light, and temperatures. So let’s move on.
#3 Darkness is Your Friend
There are two things to think about when you think about UV light and general light exposure.
And those two things are:
- are you keeping your cannabis in a dark place where it’s not exposed to the sun?
- and are you keeping all forms of light away from it?
Dark rooms are your friend here — no large windows… or at least none that you open frequently. UV light from the sun rays is one of the bigger factors that can mess with the quality of marijuana that you’re trying to keep safe. So keep them away. A great option here would be a cabinet or a drawer with low humidity, especially if you’re planning on holding on to your stash for long periods of time.
Also, light in general can be problematic. Opt for non-transparent glass or ceramic jars. This way, you’ll be able to turn on the light to check on your stash without it causing a problem.
#4 Pick a Cool Place
Marijuana buds don’t react too well to extreme temperatures. One thing they really don’t tolerate is too high temperatures. Aim for anything below 78 degrees Fahrenheit. This way, your buds won’t dry out, but you’ll also keep mold at bay.
#5 Keep Things Clean
I hope this goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway — make sure that your glass jars are clean before you put your marijuana in them! Your best bet is to use brand new jars here, because the lids and the seals are especially difficult to clean.
And please, don’t add any plant matter to your jars [like lemon or orange peel] in an attempt to keep the humidity up. That’s what Boveda packs are for. Peel simply introduces pathogens to the mix and, trust me, moldy weed is no fun. Go to Boveda website to order some disposable humidity packs — if they’re good for $1000 cigars, they’re good for your marijuana.
Some FAQs About Cannabis Packaging [With Answers]
Does CBD-Rich Bud Also Deteriorate?
Cannabis is cannabis… and cannabinoids are cannabinoids.
If you prefer CBD strains, you’re going to have to take care of them in the same way you’d take care of THC strains. All cannabinoids and terpenes deteriorate if not kept properly. What’s worse here is that you’ll probably be less likely to notice since there’s no psychoactive effect [the absence of which is a tell that your stash is losing THC]. So no matter what type of strain you prefer, make sure to follow the steps above to keep it potent.
Will Cannabis Stay Fresh When Frozen?
There’s no need to freeze weed in a fridge — it’s not a fruit or a piece of meat. As long as you follow this advice for proper storage, you’re all good. Besides, temperatures lower than room temperature can make trichomes brittle, which means that you’ll have a tough time keeping them on the bud. And opening and closing fridge doors, introducing pathogens every time, is really not a good idea for your product. So avoid freezing temperatures — they’ll do more harm than good.
How Long Can Marijuana Stay Fresh [When Properly Stored]
It’s difficult to say. If you’re following all the best practices — keeping it in a dark place, using glass jars, keeping an eye on moisture content and humidity levels — you can probably get away with six to eight months. Keep in mind that your weed will deteriorate and lose THC content no matter what you do — this will just slow down the process.
How Should I Package Marijuana for a Night Out
If you’re just packing up some fresh buds to take over to a friend’s place, you can use whatever — from a mylar bag, sandwich bag, medicine bottles, and even aluminum foil. The idea is that you shouldn’t consider these for long term storage. However, if you’re carrying a larger quantity [say for a trip], I’d consider vacuum sealing if I were you. This will help your buds stay fresh for longer periods of time.
Why You Should NOT Store Your Weed in Plastic Long-Term
There are various schools of thought here. Some people feel that plastic baggies [and other types of plastic] are not a good solution because they can’ mess with the smell and the taste of your weed [can happen at warmer temperatures]. For me, the bigger issue is that you can’t get anywhere near perfect humidity conditions And temperature changes occur easily in this set up. This makes it more difficult to keep your marijuana fresh.
Oh, and let’s not forget… plastic holds a static charge that can cause trichomes to detach from the bud — and you wouldn’t want that to happen.
And Why You Should Avoid Metal Containers, Too
They alter the smell and the taste of weed. It can’t be helped. Metal cans [including grinders] are not an effective method of storing your cannabis if you want it to stay high-quality and to last.
Bottom Line
Here’s the thing — everything has an expiration date, including marijuana.
But…
If you can find that sweet spot — a dry place, low relative humidity, and away from sun — you’re going to have a better chance of enjoying fresh buds for a long time.
It’s not rocket science, after all. Invest in some glass mason jars, and you’re already halfway there!
And now for some good news — you can order some amazing cannabis flower from KindCanna to try out these tips!
Trichome-filled, Flavor-rich KindCanna Buds are Just a Few Clicks Away…
And guess what — our packaging doubles as a short-term storage container.