Proper Storage of Flowers: Preserving Freshness, Potency, and Flavor

Properly storing your flowers, whether in flower or extract form, is crucial for maintaining freshness, potency, and flavors. Poor storage can lead to a loss of cannabinoids and terpenes, ultimately affecting the effects and enjoyment of consumption. Here are our recommendations for extending the shelf life of your products while maintaining their quality.

1. Protection from Light: Preserve Potency

UV rays quickly degrade cannabinoids (such as THC and CBD) and terpenes, affecting both the aroma and effects of your products. This applies to both flowers and extracts like hash or concentrates.Solution: Store your products in opaque containers, preferably tinted glass, to avoid exposure to direct light. Keep them in a dark space like a closet or drawer to prevent UV damage to sensitive compounds.

2. Temperature Control: Maintain Optimal Stability

High temperatures cause rapid evaporation of terpenes, which are volatile compounds responsible for aromas and therapeutic effects. Excessive heat can also melt certain extracts like rosin or shatter. Conversely, extremely low temperatures, such as those in a refrigerator, can alter the texture of concentrates or create moisture, which can harm flowers.Solution: Keep your flowers at room temperature, ideally between 15 and 20 °C (59 and 68 °F). If you need to store very delicate extracts, you may use a dedicated refrigerator, but ensure it’s set to minimize humidity.

3. Humidity Control: Prevent Drying and Mold

Humidity is a crucial factor in storing flower products. Too low humidity (below 55%) can dry out the buds, making them brittle and less enjoyable to consume. This also reduces terpene quality and results in harsher smoke. Conversely, too high humidity (above 65%) can lead to mold formation, rendering the product unusable.Solution: It’s essential to maintain a dry environment, but not overly arid. Store your flowers in airtight glass containers, and avoid areas where humidity fluctuates significantly, such as bathrooms or kitchens. For extracts like hash or resin, a consistent humidity around 60% can be beneficial, but never allow excessive moisture to infiltrate your containers, as this can alter texture and quality.

4. Choosing the Right Containers: Avoid Plastic and Static Electricity

Plastic is often used to store flower products, but it has notable drawbacks. It can generate static electricity, causing trichomes (resin glands containing cannabinoids) to stick to the container walls, thereby decreasing the potency of the flowers. Additionally, plastic can interact with terpenes and alter the flavor.Solution: Prefer glass jars with airtight lids. Glass is neutral and does not interfere with terpenes. It also allows for better preservation of trichomes, thus maintaining the potency of your flowers and the quality of your extracts.

5. Avoid Air Exposure: Protect Cannabinoids and Terpenes

Air is the enemy of flower products due to oxidation. When flowers or extracts are exposed to oxygen, cannabinoids like THC degrade into CBN, which is less psychoactive. Moreover, terpenes evaporate, altering the aroma and taste of the product.Solution: Use airtight containers to limit air exposure. For longer storage of concentrates, vacuum sealing systems are an excellent option, especially for preserving sensitive extracts like live resin. Also, ensure the container size matches the amount stored to minimize air space.

Conclusion

Proper storage of flowers is essential for preserving their effects and aromas. By controlling light, temperature, and humidity, and by choosing the right containers, you can extend the shelf life of your flowers and extracts while optimizing their quality. These precautions ensure a more enjoyable and healthier consumption experience while avoiding unnecessary losses due to poor storage.