Summertime is coming, and with it comes shorts, shades, and perhaps a small, socially-distanced outdoor barbeque with some friends. Summer has many positive aspects, but how the heat can affect your bud is not one of them.
There are so many different strains of cannabis on the market these days that it can be challenging to choose just one! If you want to relax, you might choose an Indica like Forbidden Fruit, a hybrid like Biscotti if you want to be chatty, or a Sativa like Island Sweet Skunk if you want to get jazzed up and ready for the day. There are just about as many strains out there as moods, so you might end up with several varieties in your stash at once.
Having diversity in your stash boxes is a good thing because it means that you’re ready for a lot of different opportunities, but it can also potentially be a negative thing. If you have a strain you don’t use very often, or you’re only the occasional smoker, you could end up with buds that go bad.
Cannabis isn’t a particularly picky plant, but it does have specific preferences if you want it to last for a long time. Today we will hit on the high points for how to store cannabis for a long time, so it doesn’t spoil.
Humidity
Tobacco cigars are well-known for needing humidity levels in the high 60 to 70%. Unless you live in a consistently humid place like Cuba, you likely will need to keep your cigars in a special box called a humidor to keep them from getting too dry and brittle.
Cannabis products aren’t quite so picky, storing best in the range of 55-65% humidity, which leaves you a few options for long-term storage.
– A Cannabis Humidor: Cannabis humidors and tobacco humidors aren’t necessarily interchangeable. While there might be products available that claim to do both, you’re better off keeping your stashes separate. Our Humidor Walnut Combo Box not only is beautiful and has locking capabilities to keep your stash safe, but it also works great with the Boveda 2-Way Humidity Control system. Additionally, it is the perfect location to store all of your cannabis accessories.
– Humidity Packs: Two-way humidity packs work by removing moisture if things get too humid or putting it back into the air if things get too dry. You can put the humidity pack in your humidor or directly into the jar where you store your buds.
– Temporary Solutions: If you are in a pinch, you can get away with sticking a piece of spinach or citrus peel into your stash. It will keep things humid, but the citrus peel might transfer some flavor onto your flower (which might not be a bad thing), and the spinach will eventually go bad, so you’ll have to keep an eye on things.
Temperature
Cannabis that you plan on using can stay out at room temperature for short periods, but for the most part, you should keep your herb out of the heat and light. Weed likes temperatures between 40 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, so keeping it in a cool, dark place like a cupboard, closet, or basement is the best location.
If your storage area is too warm (above 70 degrees), you run the risk of your cannabis growing mold or mildew since your bud also requires high humidity. Too cold, and you can dry out or damage your bud. You might have heard of people using the freezer as a long-term storage solution, but that can cause the delicate trichomes to become brittle and fall off. If you purposefully want to separate the trichomes to use in a pollen press that’s one thing, but most people want to keep those little potency powerhouses connected to their bud.
For other cannabis products like wax or cartridges, you run the risk of damaging the composition and potency when you aren’t careful with the temperature. Concentrates, in particular, can become almost unusable when left in hot environments.
Container
The best container to use for long-term storage is airtight, glass, dark, and coated with UV protection. Cannabis does not like to be exposed to light as it can degrade the potency and structure of the flower itself. If you can’t find a container that is dark or UV coated, the best thing you can do for your bud is to store it in glass for the long-term. Glass containers don’t affect your stash’s flavor the way plastic can, and glass also prevents Mary Jane’s distinct smell from leaking out into the atmosphere. If you are concerned about the smell, you can always purchase one of our smell proof bags.
Even if you store your buds using all of the best care and techniques, they will still degrade eventually because they are organic material. Still, by following the proper storing procedure, you can keep your flower fresh for as long as possible, so it is ready whenever you are.
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