After harvesting, drying, and curing the cannabis plants, growers need to keep an eye on their final product to prevent it from getting either too moist or too dry. Even though weed doesn’t have an expiration date, its quality is reduced over time. Moist weed could result in the growth of mold and mildew, while dried out weed has a harsher taste, burns up rather quickly, and loses its potency.
To keep your weed fresh for a longer period of time, you’ll need to learn how to properly store it as well as find out which are the ideal conditions that maintain the potency and flavor of your nugs. Whether you’re an aspiring cannabis grower, or you’re interested in how you should keep your stash of weed to preserve its quality, the tips mentioned below will definitely be of use, so let’s get started.
Why Is Proper Cannabis Storage So Important?
The shelf life of the cannabis plant can be greatly reduced as a result of moisture which can cause mold and mildew to grow on your weed. To prevent this from happening, after the drying and curing process of the cannabis nugs, they need to be kept in a dark place and under a relative humidity level to not only prevent mold, but also preserve the terpene and cannabinoid content of the nugs. After the drying process, cannabis should have a moisture content lower than 15%, which is further stripped when the curing process is done.
Each cannabis cultivator has his own preference when it comes to doing this process, however, the aim is to ultimately get the weed to the perfect moisture content between 6% and 9%. Once this process is done, the bud is placed into a package, and the oxygen is removed. For proper storage, you need to keep the buds within a range of 59% to 63% relative humidity (RH).
What Is the Proper Temperature for Storing Dry Weed?
Similar to how relative humidity is important for storing marijuana, storing your weed at an ideal temperature preserves the cannabinoid and terpene profile while keeping your cannabis in the best condition.
High temperatures may dry your flower out, and if they’re paired with increased humidity levels they can even cause mold and mildew to develop. The optimal temperature for storing cannabis is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius).
The Effects of Light and Oxygen on Dried and Cured Cannabis
Long-term light exposure and UV light is another thing that degrades weed, converting THCA into THC, and ultimately THC into CBN, which means that your weed is losing precious cannabinoid content and psychoactive effects.
It’s also important to store your weed in an air-tight container to prevent oxidation. More oxygen means that your weed will be less potent and less flavorful, so you won’t get the same high as the first time you bought it.
If you have a large stash of weed and are looking for a long-term storage option, you could also store it in plastic bags. You just need to make sure that you use a vacuum-sealing technique to preserve the quality of the weed. Finally, handle your weed delicately to prevent damaging the precious trichomes.
What Is the Best Way to Store Weed?
To keep your weed fresh, you need to store it adequately. That mason jar can be great for storing your homemade granola, but you shouldn’t use it for storing weed. The biggest mistake you can make when storing your weed is exposing it to oxygen and sunlight by keeping it in a glass jar or a plastic bag.
Cultivators do an excellent job to ensure your cannabis has optimal moisture content and is packaged in a dark package to prevent the light from degrading the cannabinoids, while dispensaries ensure to maintain the same storage conditions for their products,
Your buds should be stored in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight and put into a dark air-tight container that minimizes the amount of air that enters inside.
How to Rehydrate Your Dry Cannabis Buds?
Rehydrating your cannabis buds is a process that shouldn’t be done without a little bit of research beforehand. One of our previous articles went over the process of fluffing brick weed, so this paragraph will go over the process of rehydrating cannabis nugs.
Distilled Water Method
To rehydrate your buds, you’ll need distilled water, a paper towel, a small jar with cannabis, and a container with a lid. Place your cannabis in the jar and place it inside the container. Dampen your paper towel for about 70% and fold it. Place the paper towel in the container and keep it closed between 2-12 hours to reintroduce some moisture to your buds. Make sure to check on your buds as excess water makes your dry buds susceptible to mold.
Fruit Peel Method
Another method you can use to rehydrate your cannabis is to infuse it with a fruit peel. Peels contain essential oils which can also add to the terpene profile of your buds. Keep in mind that you should have a bit of space between the bud and the peel to prevent your bud from getting overly moist.
Humidity Control Packets
One of the easiest methods to increase the moisture of your cannabis nugs is to use humidity control packs like the Boveda packs. This disposable humidity pack is perfect for maintaining relative humidity which should be around 55-62% for cannabis. The pack is small and allows moisture to pass through it easily. Once the packet is spent, it will become firm which should indicate that you either need to throw it out or replace it.
Cannabis Humidors
Cannabis humidors are another option to maintain the relative humidity of your buds, but it’s also one of the more expensive ones on this list. A humidor is a cedar-lined box that has a hygrometer that monitors relative humidity.
There are various types of humidors. Some use distilled water and a sponge, but users need to monitor the system of this humidor to keep the humidity at an optimal level. Others use propylene glycol mixtures which are commonly used for cigar humidors and the relative humidity is 70%, so make sure you pick a bottle with a propylene glycol solution below 65%.
Final Thoughts on Keeping Your Weed Dry
Cannabis quality degrades over time, so keeping your buds in optimal conditions will prevent the degradation of cannabinoids and terpenes which is often caused by exposing weed to UV light, heat, moisture, and other external influences.
To rehydrate your cannabis buds, you can use one of the methods we mentioned in this article. You could either go for the more budget-friendly methods like the distilled water method, the fruit peel method, or humidity control packets, or you could go for the more expensive option like purchasing a cannabis humidor.
Whichever option you choose, keep the relative humidity levels of the jar below 65% to prevent your cannabis from developing mold or mildew.
