Enjoying top quality cannabis flower relies on proper curing and good practices for long-term storage. There are many guides for how to effectively grow, cut, dry, and trim your cannabis plants, the final stages are just as important to the flavor, smoothness, and strength of your buds. The best results come from proven methods to cure and store your cannabis.
That is why we have put together our 10 top tips for curing and storing, to ensure that your buds are deliciously perfect whether you open those curing jars a few weeks or more than a year after the original harvest.
1) Cure at the Right Light, Temperature, and Humidity
Start by creating the perfect curing and storage environment for your cannabis. This requires the correct amount of light, along with the right ambient temperature and in-jar humidity.
- Cannabis can be harmed by UV and bright lights, so you want a dark cabinet or a room lit with low levels of light.
- Cannabis starts to decarb at high temperatures and will become brittle at low temperatures, so keep your cannabis between 50 and 70 °F
- Humidity inside each cannabis jar should be between 40% and 50%. You can drop a little battery hygrometer in each jar to be sure.
2) Burp Your Cannabis On Time
During the first week, open your curing containers a couple times a day to release moisture and let in new oxygen. During all the weeks after that (whether you cure for 2 weeks to 6 months), "burp" the cannabis once every few days. This will help manage humidity and keep them at the right levels.
Use those little hygrometers to ensure that your cannabis is curing at the right humidity. If they get too humid, open the containers for a few hours. If they're too dry, leave the jars closed for longer or add a moisture pack.
3) Choose Glass for Long-Term Storage
The best containers for both curing and storing cannabis flower is glass. Ideally, wide-mouthed glass mason jars with sealing 2-piece lids. Plastic is not ideal because many plastic containers are not oxygen-tight, and trichomes stick to the plastic. Plastic bags are the worst. Some plastic or silicone boxes might be OK, but the results are hit-or-miss from one product to the next.
But you can't go wrong with glass jars. That is why you'll mostly see cannabis cured and stored in glass.
4) Vacuum Seal the Buds for Optimal Durability
When the curing is done, you need to remove the extra oxygen to stop the curing process and prevent contaminants (like mold). The best way to do this is with a vacuum sealing kit for jars. Do not vacuum-seal into plastic bags for the reasons listed above.
A vacuum seal removes the excess air and seals the jar tight. This ensures that the cannabis stops curing, doesn't dry out, and isn't exposed to anything that could cause harm. In other words, it's the perfect way to prepare your buds for safe long-term storage.
5) Consider Using Nitrogen Packs
Some cannabis growers use nitrogen packs to exchange oxygen for nitrogen when storing cannabis. The process involves placing cured cannabis in unsealed containers. Then food-grade nitrogen packs are placed in the containers which allows the nitrogen to replace oxygen in the air around the cannabis.
It should be noted that nitrogen flushing can be time-consuming and requires an additional material, but it can be effective. However, most prefer to vacuum seal instead.
6) Keep the Jars Out of Direct Light
For the same reason that you cure cannabis in a dark cabinet or dim room, it is also important to store your sealed cannabis jars out of direct light. As nice as cannabis jars look on display, they should not be placed or stored under bright lights or where sunlight can reach them.
To ensure that your cannabis lasts for months (up to 2 years) in storage, keep your jars in a dark or dimly lit place and protected from UV light.
7) Don't Let Your Jars Get Too Warm
Home and business temperatures may vary from 40 °F to 80 °F in the winter and summer. However, cannabis needs to remain at a more moderate temperature. To prevent the downsides of chilled or overheated buds, keep your cannabis between 50 °F and 70 °F.
Don't let the jars get too warm in a closed cabinet, especially during the summer when temperatures rise. This could cause early decarbing or decay. It's also important to keep your jars in a warm-ish storage area in the winter, for the same reason cannabis shouldn't be refrigerated or frozen.
8) Why Not to Freeze Your Cannabis
When you're thinking about preserving cannabis, it can be tempting to pop those jars in the fridge or freezer, but don't. Cold cannabis flowers are not a good thing. The terpenes will grow brittle and can easily shake off the buds if you chill or freeze your cured cannabis jars.
Refrigerators also have highly varying humidity levels, so the fridge is not a good place for open cannabis containers, either.
9) Keep the Jars Sealed Tight
Storing cured cannabis is a lot like canning food. Your organic buds will last longer in storage if you don't open the jars after vacuum-sealing. This ensures just the right amount of air and humidity while keeping out harmful contaminants like mold spores or bacteria that want to eat those delicious flowers. Don't pop open the jars to check on them once they enter the "storage" phase until you are ready to toke.
10) Open One Jar at a Time
If you are storing cannabis for personal use, open one jar at a time to keep your cannabis in good condition when retrieving buds. If you're worried about the buds at the bottom drying out before you finish the jar, there are a few ways to keep your supply safe while consuming one jar at a time.
- Cure and/or store in smaller jars
- Retrieve a few buds for your box or grinder, then reseal the jar for minimum moisture loss
- Keep a personal small jar and retrieve one scoop at a time, then reseal the big jar.
- Watch the hygrometer and drop a moisture packet, if necessary
Curing and storing cannabis is a combination of science and artistry. Once you master technique and timing, you can enjoy beautifully cured cannabis with a nice, long shelf life. To learn more about growing and processing your own cannabis plants, contact us today.
