Everything you need to know about storing dried flower better to preserve its aroma, colour and potency potential
HIGHLIGHTS
- Humidity, light, temperature and oxygen affect the taste, smell and potency potential of cannabis.- Keep cannabis in a cool, dry spot, away from direct sunlight.
- Tools such as hygrometers, humidity packs, and humidors can help maintain freshness.
Although packaged dried cannabis does not generally include an expiry date, there are ways to keep it fresh and prolong each strain's unique flavours, aromas and colours, as well as its maximum potency potential. Read on to learn how to preserve and store your cannabis after purchase properly.
Monitor humidity, temperature, airflow and light of where you're storing cannabis; these environmental factors can cause adverse effects if left unchecked.
Humidity: Ideally, cannabis should be stored at a relative humidity (RH) of 59% to 63%. Too much moisture and mold, and bacteria will grow, producing unpleasant flavours and odours. At the same time, too little humidity in your storage container and the trichomes that contain the terpenes and cannabinoids will break down, and the essential oils will dry out.
Temperature: The temperature at which you store your cannabis affects its overall freshness— warm air holds more moisture than cold air, so it's best to keep cannabis below 25°C to reduce the opportunity for mold to grow.
Airflow: Oxygen is a tricky element to regulate; having an excess of it in your storage container will increase the speed of degradation, while having not enough can affect the humidity, especially if the cannabis is not quite dry, to begin with.
Light: Above all, limiting exposure to light plays the most significant role in preserving dried cannabis. Simply storing cannabis products out of direct sunlight will prevent them from breaking down too quickly.
So how can I manage all of these factors and keep my cannabis fresh?
Much like wine, cannabis is best kept in a cool, dry location, such as a low shelf or basement (just ensure that it's in a secure container and stored away and out of the reach of children and pets – we recommend using lockable containers). Avoid plastic; it can have a static charge that will attract the trichomes, meaning that it can decrease the potency of the flower in it.
Do not store dried flowers in the fridge, which has fluctuating temperatures and moisture to promote mold. Freezing is out, too, as the low temps can cause trichomes to become brittle and break easily when handled.
Other cannabis products, such as oils or capsules, can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator, but always follow the manufacturer's directions before doing so. Remember to mark any products that you store in a fridge.
There are a lot of accessories available to help you keep track of elements, such as moisture, humidity and oxygen, when storing cannabis.
Avoid using tobacco humidors to store your cannabis since they are often made of cedar and add oils to your product. However, choose to use a humidor made of cedar. You can avoid direct contact between the wood and the dried flower by using additional products such as a glass storage jar.
When storing cannabis, there are a lot of factors to consider, so do your research. Above all, rely on your senses to determine whether the quality has degraded. If the cannabis has no aroma or smells "off," it's best not to use it.
Important Notice: Content on this website is intended strictly for informational purposes. Ashario does not promote any product or represent that the products mentioned on Ashario's website are treatments for any kind of medical condition. Ashario cannot guarantee that information provided is error-free or complete and is not responsible for the quality of the information provided by users. Ashario does not endorse any user-reported information, any particular strain, product, producer, organization, treatment, or therapy.
Important Notice: Content on this website is intended strictly for informational purposes. Ashario does not promote any product or represent that the products mentioned on Ashario's website are treatments for any kind of medical condition. Ashario cannot guarantee that information provided is error-free or complete and is not responsible for the quality of the information provided by users. Ashario does not endorse any user-reported information, any particular strain, product, producer, organization, treatment, or therapy.
