Good ol’ ganja. That sweet, sweet nug. You might be loyal to just one strain of cannabis, or you might keep around a few different varieties so that you’re ready for whatever mood strikes you. Regardless, you probably have more than one session’s worth of smoking material, which means that you need to store the excess. If you don’t store your flower the right way, you can end up with a flavorless or harsh smoke that doesn’t even give you the benefit of getting high.
Whether you’re growing and drying your own or shelling out some green to cottage vendors for specialized strains, storing your stash successfully will ensure that you have what you need whenever you want it.
Short Term Storage
Please, for the love of all that is good and holy, do not store your herbs in a plastic baggie – there are so many better options for short-term storage! The baggie may seem like a good option because it has such a low profile, but the RYOT Keeper is also airtight, reusable, smell proof, and small enough to fit on your keychain. Hard to beat!
Sunlight causes herbal potency to degrade, and humidity can cause mold, so when storing your flower, stay as far away from those two things as possible. For short term use, store only as much as you can use in a short amount of time in an airtight container with a two-way humidity pack. Citrus peels will help keep the right humidity in a pinch, but they can also transfer some of their flavor to your weed (which you might find enjoyable if you’re into that kind of thing).
Glass containers do really well keeping the skunk smells in the jar without transferring any contaminating odors to the bud itself (like plastic or non-food grade metals can do). Our glass jars come in both clear and black with a rolling tray lid that is interchangeable with our GR8TR Jars.
Long Term Storage
The Fridge and Freezer Debate
There is some debate among cannabis connoisseurs about the validity of using the freezer for long term storage. On the one hand, one four-year-long study showed that in a controlled environment, THC potency lasted the longest when the buds were kept in the freezer. Next to the freezer, the refrigerator was the best option, but storing the cannabis out at room temperature both in light and darkness guaranteed almost 100% degradation of the THC content.
The problem with the fridge and freezer is that they vary pretty significantly in temperature and humidity, and getting weed too cold has its downfalls. When marijuana freezes, all of those delightful trichomes or kief get brittle and can fall off, resulting in less of a high. Many people like to separate and sift kief as part of their preparation process, using either pollen boxes or screen-chamber grinders. We’ll speak more to that in another blog.
If you are going to store your stash in the fridge or freezer, there are some steps you can follow to keep your weed as intact as possible. Start by using a non-reactive container such as a glass mason jar, and if you can, use a vacuum sealer to remove excess air from the jar. Then, when you’re ready to use your stash, pull it out of the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature. Leaving it undisturbed until it’s at ambient temperature will give you the greater likelihood of your buds maintaining both their trichomes and integrity.
Cannabis Humidors
Humidors for cannabis aren’t the same as those for tobacco, so unfortunately, you can’t just repurpose your grandpa’s old cigar humidor. Not only does tobacco like humidity levels that will cause mold to grow on your cannabis, but the cedar wood in a tobacco humidor could negatively impact the flavor and smokeability of your cannabis.
Luckily, since appropriate humidification is crucial to storing your weed, cannabis humidors are starting to hit the market. These attractive containers not only keep your stash at the right relative humidity, but they also protect the trichomes and terpenes that make smoking so enjoyable.
Stash Boxes
Stash boxes are a great way to keep all of your parts and products together in an attractive and secure location. They have enough room to hold a few different strains as well as your smoking method of choice, whether it be a dugout and one-hitter, vape pen, or mini-bong. Stash boxes are great for long term storage because they are simple to store in a cool, dry place, and you can stick a humidification pack easily into your separate strain containers so that your herb maintains ideal humidity. For more pro tips, check out this article on what makes a good stash box.
Travel Storage
When you’re traveling, you need a way to keep things safe and low key, and we have you covered. Our Smell Proof technology offers the highest level of smell protection with a carbon lining, moisture seal zipper, and no air movement in or out of the bag. Our Smell Safe products have carbon padding that lines the bag to absorb most of your herb’s tell-tale smells. Some products like the Dopp Kit combine the best of both worlds with an outer Smell Proof bag and an inner Smell Safe carbon lined bag.
Smaller bags that are perfect for traveling include the:
- Flat Pack: a waterproof, smell proof, and carbon lined bag with a very low profile
- Krypto-Kit: about the size of a wallet with odor absorption tech and storage for your stash bag, taster bat, lighter, and poker
- HeadCase: a hard-sided case made with waterproof fabric and an odor proof carbon lining with enough storage for a small stash and your vaporizer
- Jar Cooler Bag: the ultimate in versatility, this small bag is smell safe, and can also carry your grinder or keep your favorite beverage chilled.
At RYOT, we value utility, discretion, and style, and our products are specifically designed to keep your stash safe and fresh for however long you store it.
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