Best way to store flower long term?

[gordontreeman]

Hey everyone,

I'm not in a rec friendly state. Due to a recent dry spell, my next order will be a large one. I apologize because I'm sure this has been asked and answered a ton, but searching for "storage" turns up 1000s of results that aren't really what I'm looking for (comments on jyarz or other containers rather than methods). I'm just looking for the optimum way to store flower for a long time (like 4+ months potentially). From my experience with specialty/third wave coffee I'm guessing similar enemies (light, air, too much/little moisture, and oxygen) would effect it, so would the best option be vacuum sealing containers or even just glass containers with boveda packs? Is freezing worth considering (I've read around here that it is for concentrates providing you only thaw a small amount at a time and let it defrost completely before opening to avoid condensation)? Laws of thermodynamics suggest yes, but I know cell walls and moisture expanding and contracting can change that up a lot so I don't just want to jump into that.

Happy to google this too, I'm just imagining that a few folks here have already looked into this issue and have some pointers. I know nothing beats something relatively fresh, but unfortunately until my generally progressive state catches up on cannabis laws I don't have much choice here.

 

[howie105]

There are lots of ways to store bud, I just keep mine in sealed mason jars that are kept in a closed cabinet which sets a cool place in my basement.

 

[Shadooz]

I'm just looking for the optimum way to store flower for a long time (like 4+ months potentially).

That's not long term... 3 years is long term storage...

A wine cellar, but u won't say where u live, california is not canada...

In canada it will be easy, but don't freeze except if u want to make ice-olator.
Even more if she not well dried, The h20 will just fucked up the taste with state change.
Between 10/15C, no light, glass/ceramiq jar, point .

But 4 months, for commercial bud, it will not even be well dried/cured.. so room temp, no light, even unsealed jar if she's too fresh

i do the big jar to medium (in wine cellar/fridge) to ceramiq pot (weekly ammount) . The less u open the jar, the more u can store them

 

[Vaporware]

I’ve never frozen it, but I have heard that can make the trichomes brittle and you could lose a lot. I’d at least look into that before freezing.

Personally I try to put larger amounts in a c-vault (or your choice of air-tight container) and only open it when I have to.

Let’s say you have 2oz and use 0.5g a day. I’d put like 1.5oz+ in something that I wouldn’t open until the rest was gone, put most of the rest in another container that I would only open when I ran out, and keep a few grams in a third container which I’d open daily.

If you’re not sure about the humidity level, you might want to keep a Boveda pack in the long term storage at least, but if it’s pretty dry and you like it that way that’s optional.

I’m not a storage expert though, so you may get some better (or at least more detailed) suggestions.

Edit: I just noticed the 4+ months part, and I agree that’s not very long. It’s still not a bad idea to store it carefully, but in that amount of time I wouldn’t worry too much unless you have really good stuff and you want to protect it as much as possible.

 

[gordontreeman]

@Shadooz et al I'm probably being overly paranoid as my sense is that law enforcement doesn't care until you get into dealing, but since I'm not in a rec legal part of the country I'd prefer not to go into great detail. I'm in a state that is close to the Canadian border and gets brutally cold in the winter . Since its been a pain to pick up here I'll probably buy a lot. A 4 month supply might be low balling it based on past usage trends and what I'm planning to spend between flower and concentrate--maybe 8+?

Freezer problems noted--I figured plant material at those temps would be less than ideal, so I'll save that for concentrates. For the legal herbal material that is being stored for a while I guess are boveda packs and vacuum containers worth considering, or should I just get some nice glass jars and keep them away from light and heat with maybe a boveda pack?

 

[LesPlenty]

should I just get some nice glass jars and keep them away from light and heat with maybe a boveda pack?

Wide mouth mason jar and Boveda for 6 to 12 months...longer you might want to vacuum seal and oxygen absorb packets as well (they are cheap compared to buying pot!).

 

[damm]

It hasn't been mentioned in this post, but you can use Nitrogen as an inert gas in your jar for storage. I have bought products that were stored that way.

 

[gordontreeman]

It hasn't been mentioned in this post, but you can use Nitrogen as an inert gas in your jar for storage. I have bought products that were stored that way.

Haha. Incidentally that’s how most top shelf coffees are stored after roasting. I don’t think it’s viable for a non commercial operation though. At least for coffee it involves vacuuming out the O2 and replacing it with nitrogen. Those aren’t tools or gasses I can easily come by.

 

[Shadooz]

@gordontreeman or the old style, cheaper way. No need of boveda or nitrogen.

Depending of how wet she will be, u just must keep (or even start) curing her.
Opening the jar, your nose with time will learn to know how u must keep active curing. And when she will be good for deep sleep. Mine sleep well with oxygen, in her wetness (love juice ? ) ..

 

[Ramahs]

I've been using C-Vaults (Medium and Large sizes) with Boveda moisture control packs (62%) for a while now, and that has worked very well for at least 6-9 months so far.

I assume that Mason jars with Boveda (or similar moisture control packs) is perfectly fine. I got the C-Vaults because I like 1) the wide-mouth bowl size opening to reach into, 2) the stainless steel because it's harder to break than glass, and 3) it keeps light out rather than glass, which doesn't. Also, the slot in the lids to hold the moisture control packs instead of having to leave them touching the herb is nice as well.

Other than Mason jars, another great container to consider is Jyarz. They make amazing airtight containers that are glass-lined, with an outer plastic shell made from recycled milk jugs that protects the glass, and the lid has a silicon disk that seals off the glass for an airtight seal. They recently came out with larger size that competes with the C-Vaults and Jars in the sizes us average users would need. Before I buy more C-Vaults, I'll probably buy a couple of their Big Papis.

 

[west-elec]

You should have no trouble storing for several months. Cool dark and airtight gets you 12 months for well cured bud easy. Clear jars means you can check regularly without opening. If you keep at room temp in a heated house you will find some changes over the months. It may look more brown, less green. It may lose some taste and complexity of flavour. It may be a few % lower in actives. I would suggest a small bar fridge set on low setting, that way you maintain more of what you paid for.

I live in a hot climate with humid summers. I can have real trouble just getting it dry enough to store in a jar. I often have to use a food dehydrator on low. Then store in small jars because each time I open the jar moisture creeps in and after a few days it is too wet to grind again. Makes curing difficult because when you burp the jar you also go backwards drying. Mould is a constant threat. I would love some of your cool dry air.

 

[Cheebsy]

It does depend somewhat on how well dried and cured the product is when you get it, especially if you've experienced a drought you could get wetish bud needing a cure. I would go for the mason jar (s) and if it's particularly damp keep a good eye on it. Burp every day at the least and check for funky aromas. If it's a good humidity just burp less frequently, potentially not at all. Also, as you and others have pointed out, light and heat are the enemy.

 

[arb]

That's not long term... 3 years is long term storage...

A wine cellar, but u won't say where u live, california is not canada...

In canada it will be easy, but don't freeze except if u want to make ice-olator.
Even more if she not well dried, The h20 will just fucked up the taste with state change.
Between 10/15C, no light, glass/ceramiq jar, point .

But 4 months, for commercial bud, it will not even be well dried/cured.. so room temp, no light, even unsealed jar if she's too fresh

i do the big jar to medium (in wine cellar/fridge) to ceramiq pot (weekly ammount) . The less u open the jar, the more u can store them

Bingo........no freezing.

 

[jds]

I keep my buds in an appropriately sized sealed mason jars, I don't want too much headroom, but also don't want it to be too packed. I don't use boveda packs or anything to control humidity because in my experience, it messes with the weed a bit and it becomes harder to vape.

I've kept weed simply stored in mason jars for a year or two in some cases, and it was still nearly as fresh as the day I got it, both taste-wise and buzz-wise.

 

[Gunky]

I usually have an ounce or two of a few strains I keep tightly sealed but at room temperature and this is what I grab stuff from when I want to vape. Then I generally have several ounces tightly sealed in jars or turkey bags with the opening twisted and knotted inside the refrigerator. This is my medium-term storage - a few months. If the packages are well sealed it's just like keeping it in a cool cellar. If I have quite a bit around (and lately I seem to) I also keep some sealed up in the freezer. Yes, that causes some trichomes to fall off, but so what? They aren't lost - they are on the bottom of the jar or bag. The good thing is potency and flavor is preserved pretty much indefinitely. I know, some regard freezing as anathema. I don't. It's just another technique in the toolbox for me.

 

[damm]

Haha. Incidentally that’s how most top shelf coffees are stored after roasting. I don’t think it’s viable for a non commercial operation though. At least for coffee it involves vacuuming out the O2 and replacing it with nitrogen. Those aren’t tools or gasses I can easily come by.

I found this link that makes it sound almost too easy.

To fill with nitrogen, seal all but a corner of the Ziploc, then squeeze out as much air as you can. Hold bag upright so heavy nitrogen will fill the bag and force lighter oxygen up and out. Fill to puff-full with nitrogen; continue to hold bag upright for a few more seconds, then press out most of the gas and seal.

 

[RustyOldNail]

I've been using C-Vaults (Medium and Large sizes) with Boveda moisture control packs (62%) for a while now, and that has worked very well for at least 6-9 months so far.

I assume that Mason jars with Boveda (or similar moisture control packs) is perfectly fine. I got the C-Vaults because I like 1) the wide-mouth bowl size opening to reach into, 2) the stainless steel because it's harder to break than glass, and 3) it keeps light out rather than glass, which doesn't. Also, the slot in the lids to hold the moisture control packs instead of having to leave them touching the herb is nice as well.

Other than Mason jars, another great container to consider is Jyarz. They make amazing airtight containers that are glass-lined, with an outer plastic shell made from recycled milk jugs that protects the glass, and the lid has a silicon disk that seals off the glass for an airtight seal. They recently came out with larger size that competes with the C-Vaults and Jars in the sizes us average users would need. Before I buy more C-Vaults, I'll probably buy a couple of their Big Papis.

I use all the products Ramahs listed above, and recently bought 2 of these (below), same company and technology used in their coffee bean containers, for coffee I use the stainless steel cans, these are GLASS, and you push out the air.

The Cannascape® Glass - Planetary Design

Cannascape Glass takes freshness to new heights! Preserve the fragrance and flavor of your best-quality dried herbs in this elegant container.

planetarydesign.com

 

[gordontreeman]

I use all the products Ramahs listed above, and recently bought 2 of these (below), same company and technology used in their coffee bean containers, for coffee I use the stainless steel cans, these are GLASS, and you push out the air.

The Cannascape® Glass - Planetary Design

Cannascape Glass takes freshness to new heights! Preserve the fragrance and flavor of your best-quality dried herbs in this elegant container.

planetarydesign.com

Nice, I'll give them a look. Lots of folks swear by the airscape. I like the Atmos a bit more: https://fellowproducts.com/products/atmos-vacuum-canister

but they're kind of pricey and I'm guessing you want to keep strains separate rather than buy a large container and huck them all in to avoid the flavors being contaminated (I mean, I guess one doesn't have to, but if you want to appreciate the differences between several strains flavor and aroma wise). If folks have had good luck I might just load up on mason jars and some boveda pouches and keep them down in my basement closet where its dark and cool.

 

[RustyOldNail]

Nice, I'll give them a look. Lots of folks swear by the airscape. I like the Atmos a bit more: https://fellowproducts.com/products/atmos-vacuum-canister

but they're kind of pricey and I'm guessing you want to keep strains separate rather than buy a large container and huck them all in to avoid the flavors being contaminated (I mean, I guess one doesn't have to, but if you want to appreciate the differences between several strains flavor and aroma wise). If folks have had good luck I might just load up on mason jars and some boveda pouches and keep them down in my basement closet where its dark and cool.

I bought small aquarium filter bags, basically just small, draw string nylon mesh. I store 2-3 different type strains in most of my containers. Since I use 62% Bovida packs, the flower needs to breath in their bags, just tagged to keep them separate. The strains are not mixed, I doubt the fumes would contaminate another strain, but I don’t have proof. The goods do stay fresh. No frig or freezer for me.

 

[gordontreeman]

I bought small aquarium filter bags, basically just small, draw string nylon mesh. I store 2-3 different type strains in most of my containers. Since I use 62% Bovida packs, the flower needs to breath in their bags, just tagged to keep them separate. The strains are not mixed, I doubt the fumes would contaminate another strain, but I don’t have proof. The goods do stay fresh. No frig or freezer for me.

Yeah I'm just thinking that, like coffee, mixing two+ strains in the same container would cause the aromas to mingle at a minimum and effect the flavor (if nothing else because flavor is so strongly linked to our sense of smell). Its not contamination per se and it certainly won't affect potency, just if you really want to taste e.g. Blue Dream vs Orange Tangie you probably don't want them chilling together.

 

[RustyOldNail]

Yeah I'm just thinking that, like coffee, mixing two+ strains in the same container would cause the aromas to mingle at a minimum and effect the flavor (if nothing else because flavor is so strongly linked to our sense of smell). Its not contamination per se and it certainly won't affect potency, just if you really want to taste e.g. Blue Dream vs Orange Tangie you probably don't want them chilling together.

I’ll have to do some research on aroma and mixing in a sealed container. Thankfully, I’m not a big flavor chaser.

I was just reading reviews on the Atmos containers. While the idea of a vacuum interested me, most seemed to say it lost its seal over time, and the company supposedly says good seal for a week, as designed for coffee, that’s reasonable. Also 28 turns for full vacuum on empty can, 14 turns for one filled up. I might try the small one for 1-2 day amounts. I think for storage I’ll stick with the AirScape, they don’t give a vacuum seal, just air volume reduced with its plunger seal, but if a vacuum seal is going to leak over time, not something I want to monitor on multiple cans. CVault my next favorite, then Jaryz for smaller amounts.

 

[Ramahs]

Meh. I store multiple strains in my C-Vaults. I leave them in the plastic bags (ziplock or sandwich) that my guy gets them to me in, and put those in the larger container. I have two or three rolled up/tied up bags in each one. I just write the strain (if I know it, because often I don't) and date it arrived in sharpie on each one.

 

[RustyOldNail]

Meh. I store multiple strains in my C-Vaults. I leave them in the plastic bags (ziplock or sandwich) that my guy gets them to me in, and put those in the larger container. I have two or three rolled up/tied up bags in each one. I just write the strain (if I know it, because often I don't) and date it arrived in sharpie on each one.

You don’t use humidity packs in the CVaults?

 

[gordontreeman]

I’ll have to do some research on aroma and mixing in a sealed container. Thankfully, I’m not a big flavor chaser.

I was just reading reviews on the Atmos containers. While the idea of a vacuum interested me, most seemed to say it lost its seal over time, and the company supposedly says good seal for a week, as designed for coffee, that’s reasonable. Also 28 turns for full vacuum on empty can, 14 turns for one filled up. I might try the small one for 1-2 day amounts. I think for storage I’ll stick with the AirScape, they don’t give a vacuum seal, just air volume reduced with its plunger seal, but if a vacuum seal is going to leak over time, not something I want to monitor on multiple cans. CVault my next favorite, then Jaryz for smaller amounts.

@RustyOldNail yeah they definitely lose the seal over time and the reviews you’ve seen match my experience. Definitely less than ideal for vacuum sealing flower for the long term now that you mention it.

 

[Ramahs]

You don’t use humidity packs in the CVaults?

Yes, I do.

Those types of thin plastic bags are fairly permeable. The humidity transfers through just fine.