How to Store Your Best Cannabis Buds

One of these days, you’ll probably come across a bud so wonderful, you’ll want to savor it for months if not years to come. However, supremely good flower, at least for now, is not always an easily duplicatable experience, so it’s possible that you’ll want to save the flower and store it to enjoy later.

But how long will it keep? Whether you’re storing a lot or just a little, you’ll need to make a few investments, either small or large, to ensure you’ll be able to keep most of the flavor and potency you want to preserve. You’ll lose some of these qualities over time as a matter of course, but a few tools (which you’ll start to recognize once you begin investing in proper storage gear) will allow you to keep your bud and even your edibles usable for years to come.

For Smaller Stashes ( <1.5 oz.)

You’ll need:

• Mason Jars (Miron Violetglass Jars, which cut down on light, are also excellent)
• Oxygen/Moisture absorber packs
• Hygrometers

Above all, keep cannabis flower stored in a cool, dry place. Minimize whatever contact your buds will have with light. A 2012 study which observed the degradation of THC and CBD in three samples of cannabis that were stored up to four years — some exposed to laboratory light in an ambient temperature of 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit and others stored in darkness at 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit. The study found that “the decay degree of Δ9–THC in the first year of storage of the samples in the laboratory light at (71.6 degrees) is about 1.02 times higher than that recorded for samples stored in the darkness at (39.2 degrees).” Ideal temperatures are temperate — think 70 degrees or lower, but not freezing, or the THC-containing trichomes will become brittle and break off.

And you’ll also have to strike a proper balance between oxygen and moisture. Too much oxygen and you’ll lose precious THC to oxidation. But if your bud hasn’t been cured properly and still contains some moisture, too little oxygen will disrupt relative humidity. That matters especially if you’re a medical user, because humidity can lead to unhealthy molds growing on the flower. A consensus has held that relative humidity (relative to an atmosphere that is fully saturated by moisture) should hover around 59-63 percent. If you’re hardcore, you’ll dehumidify (or rehumidify) the storage space and then measure the interior storage using an hygrometer; however, Boveda and Integra sell 2-way humidity control packs which keep relative humidity to a specific percentage, usually indicated on the label.

And just remember: glass, not plastic. Trichomes tend to adhere to the sides of the Ziploc bags of yore. Tobacco humidors are also not recommended because the cedar wood that that often lines them them can seep into the cannabis. And always store cannabis away from pipes, bongs and other paraphernalia.

This should all hold true if you break up your flower into dosing capsules to vaporize later. The flower will never leave the capsule until you clean it out, but you will still want to keep it mold-free if you’re planning to store it for a few weeks.

For Larger/Bulk Stashes ( < 2 oz.)

You’ll need:

• Vacuum Bags
• Freezer

Once you’ve placed your flower in the bags and vacuum-sealed it, you’ll want to put it in an airtight container before storing it away in a freezer. If you’re only storing for a few weeks, it’s best to avoid freezing cannabis buds, and one should never put cannabis in a refrigerator either way, because of the sudden temperature and humidity shifts. But if you’re looking to store cannabis for months or even years, it does make sense to invest in a vacuum sealer. If kept in a consistently powered freezer, the flower should keep for years.