Just like most of the herbs used for cooking, marijuana can also lose its potency and flavor over time, so proper storage is needed to keep it fresh. While there is no perfect way to store cannabis plants for long periods of time, most recreational and medicinal users may not need long-term storage.

However, to prevent a reduced potency and maintain flavor, one needs to learn how to store weed so it stays fresh and tasty for longer.

The guide below will help you to know how to safely store cannabis until you’re prepared to use it.

Conditions for Proper, Long-Term Storage

Like a fine whiskey barrel, marijuana is best when stored in a cool, dark place. Lower temperatures can slow down the process of decarboxylation of THC that leads to a reduction in potency. On the other hand, warm air is also dangerous for cannabis plants because it facilitates mold growth.

That’s why you should aim for the following storage conditions:

• Relative humidity: 55-62 percent

• Cool, temperature-stable area away from light

• Temperatures: below 77°F, or 25°C (mold can thrive between 77 and 86°F)

• Strains need to be separated to preserve their flavors

Common Mistakes

• Storing pipes, grinders and other paraphernalia along with cannabis buds. Keeping these supplies apart is important to prevent the resin and ash from sticking up everything in a container,

• Storing above or around heat-producing house appliances or electronics. As it was mentioned above, heat can significantly compromise the quality of cannabis buds by speeding up the aging process.

• Touching and jostling stored cannabis. Too much manhandling results in cannabis particles falling off and undermining the integrity of the flower.

• Storing in a fridge. Since it is a place with constant changes in temperature and humidity, cannabis placed in a fridge will develop mold.

• Storing in plastic bags. They don’t provide an airtight seal, absorb odors, and are prone to static electricity which can pull trichomes.

• Storing in a freezer. Some people think that freezing the buds is the ideal method to ensure freshness and potency. Well, it’s a myth! Cannabis plants are fragile, so low temperatures can cause them to become brittle and break off when handled.

Fridge is useful for food but not for buds because it undermines freshness and potency. (Free image from Flickr)

Legitimate Methods for Cannabis Storage

There are a number of ways to keep cannabis fresh. They include:

• Vacuum seal bags. These are a good option for storing because they do a good job to preserve the quality of foods. Their design allows taking out all of the air, which contributes to a faster aging process; as the result, the flavor of cannabis remains intact while risk factors are eliminated. That’s why you can store cannabis in vacuum seal bags in a fridge.

• Simple mason or specialty pot jars. Storing cannabis in glass also keeps the air out, allowing to maintain the quality of buds. A glass jar doesn’t secrete any flavor-changing compounds even during serious temperature fluctuations, so they are better than plastic containers. However, it’s still susceptible to the harmful effect of light, so keep jars in a dark cupboard.

• Compression. This is one of the best ways to store cannabis which hurts the aesthetic of the buds but ensures years of storage without any effect on flavor and potency. By pressing buds into moulds and wrapping them properly, one can store them for years and slice chunks when needed.

Glass Jars are one of the best methods of storing cannabis (Free image from Pexels)

What are the Signs of Bunk Cannabis?

If your marijuana is not properly sealed (or even if it is), checking it on a regular basis is a good idea. For example, if your storing methods of choice is jars, you can easily take a perk without opening them. The same applies to clear containers.

However, if you’re storing cannabis in a way that doesn’t guarantee long-term freshness, check everything carefully and look for the following signs:

• Change of color

• Mold

• Faint-scented buds

• Build-up condensation

• Dry herb that crumbles to the touch

If one of these signs is present, your cannabis went less potent and lost its flavor and aroma, so there’s no point in consuming it.

Wrapping Up

Be selective when it comes to storing your marijuana. Proper storage ensures potency and flavor, so learning some knowledge about reliable methods is totally reasonable. After all, who likes smoking dried out weed, right?

Kathrin Garner

Kathrin Garner is an enthusiastic journalist and writes article on social issues. As an activist, she takes part in NCSM program, which is a discussion platform on the relevant cannabis topics. She searches for current issues, and writes about it to a wide range of readers.