How to store CBD cannabis buds?
Whether you are a weed grower or a customer of
cannabis flowers
you’ve probably already found yourself disappointed by the decline in quality of your weed (taste, smell and effects). Indeed, badly stored, the marijuana can quickly find itself in conditions favorable to the various processes of moulds or on the contrary, become too dry. The result is a significant and irreparable loss of its taste qualities and its power. The conservation of weed is a necessary basis to know for all consumers!
In France, with the growing success of CBD products such as legal cannabis flowers, more and more people are wondering about the best way (container, place, …) to keep their weed heads fresh and efficient.
Shelf life of the weed
While for a few grams of cannabis, shelf life is irrelevant, for a grower and his post-harvest crop or a large customer, being able to maintain the quality of the herb over time is critical.
curing
(the process of drying and refining cannabis flowers after harvest) or a large customer, being able to maintain the quality of the herb over time is paramount. Indeed, cannabis that does not age well is a dry and crumbly weed. Smoked, such a marijuana is aggressive in mouth and thus unpleasant to consume. Inhaled or ingested, it is less harsh (and in any case much better for the health) but tasteless. In any case, badly preserved and thus aged cannabis buds will lose their organoleptic properties (taste and smell) and their power.
While it is impossible to prevent the natural aging of cannabis flowers, it is possible to slow it down. Thus, the nice fresh and tasty weed heads will remain so for several weeks or months (up to 6 months and more). Under really optimal conditions (temperature, humidity, darkness, oxygenation and perfect curing), cannabis flowers can be stored for more than a year!
Preservation of weed in a jar
The glass jar with a seal (airtight) and opacified is your best ally for curing. It is also used to preserve grass on a long-term basis. It will protect the dense and sticky heads of cannabis from moisture, light and air which are 3 formidable threats for this plant :
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- Humidity: the optimal humidity level for the conservation of grass is between 54 and 63%. Below this threshold, the drying of the weed will be too important which will strongly impact its taste (degradation of the terpenes). Beyond that, a soil conducive to mold may damage the crop.
- Air: Oxygen in the air is essential for a productive cannabis crop (from seed to harvest). Once dried, marijuana buds become sensitive to too much oxygen exposure. They can then decompose.
- The light: The UV of the sun is extremely harmful for the trichomes and thus, the cannabinoids (CBD and THC in particular). The decomposition of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) into CBN (cannabinol) causes a loss of potency of the herb and the decomposition of CBD (cannabidiol) will decrease its relaxing properties.
For a good preservation of the quality of the weed put in hermetic glass jar, it will thus be necessary to take care to fill the jar only to ¾. Thus, there will be neither too much air (decomposition of cannabinoids) nor too little (mold). To further optimize the quality of the weed, the glass jars should be opaque and/or put in a dark storage place. These practices are intended to limit the exposure of cannabis buds to light.
Storage of weed in vacuum bags or plastic boxes
The vacuum storage of the herb has the same characteristics as the glass container. This container will then have to follow the same storage rules. If this method keeps the weed fresh, each time you take a few heads for your consumption, it will be necessary to empty it again. Indeed, keeping your herb in simple plastic bags or in a “tupperware” type box can be fatal. In addition to the humidity, light and air that these types of containers allow to pass through, the static electricity induced by the plastic breaks the cannabis buds. This results in a significant loss of trichomes. As a result, a large amount of cannabinoids stick to the walls of the bag or box.
Storing cannabis flowers in a plastic box is something to be quickly forgotten. Vacuum bags are appropriate for a large crop to be stored for many weeks. However, they should be kept in a cool place and away from light. However, for smaller quantities, glass jars remain a more practical and very reliable solution.
Preservation of the weed in the refrigerator
In addition to oxygen, humidity and light, a fourth factor is crucial to keep a greedy grass fresh over time: temperature.
Temperature too hot (> 25°C):
-
- heat favors the appearance of mold in the presence of humidity.
- a dry heat leads to a too fast drying of the weed and strongly degrades its refining. Terpenes (responsible for organoleptic qualities) and cannabinoids (lowering the potency of conventional cannabis flowers and the benefits of CBD cannabis) are heavily impacted.
A too cold temperature blocks the
decarboxylation process
of cannabinoids and increases their decomposition (in CBN in particular for the THC).
If the ideal temperature to store cannabis is between 15 and 21°C, it can sometimes be interesting to put its opaque and hermetic jar full of weed in the refrigerator in case of strong heat (summer, tropical countries, etc…). Indeed, if we put our food and even the seeds of plants such as cannabis in a refrigerator, it is to optimize their shelf life!
Preservation of weed in the freezer
Rumor, rumor mill, legend of cannabis culture or reality? Chances are you’ve heard of this method of preserving grass. In fact, there are 2 schools of thought on this subject: the pros and the cons!
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- Pros: Allows you to keep your grass harvest fresh for a very long time. Only the top heads will degrade slightly during natural thawing. The quality of the other flowers will be preserved almost as on the first day.
- The cons: unless you have an appliance exclusively designed for this purpose, the temperature variations induced by repeated opening of the freezer over a period of weeks promote bacterial proliferation. The quality of the grass is then at risk. In addition, freezing turns the trichomes (resin glands) into “little ice cubes”. They are then brittle and can fall off the cannabis buds. The handling of the stock will therefore have to be extremely meticulous and require special attention.
Unless you have excellent personal reasons, storing CBD or classic (with THC) weed in a freezer is not the best way to preserve the taste, smell and effects of cannabis. It is best to use a glass container. For large quantities, multiply the number of jars.
To conclude…
No matter how a cannabis product is consumed, fresh weed will always be more enjoyable than old, dried-up marijuana heads. Our online shop,
Bistrot CBD
Bistrot CBD, pays special attention to the satisfaction of each customer. Indeed, we make every effort to optimize our products, down to the smallest detail. Our different varieties of CBD cannabis are therefore sent in hermetic and opaque bags. Thus, we guarantee the optimal preservation of their organoleptic properties and the relaxing and soothing virtues of CBD.
FAQ: Weed conservation
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