How Do I Store my Harvest to Maintain Quality?

[Smokin Moose]

The Pump n Seal which was sold on TV was an excellent way to vacuum seal and reseal jars and other airtight containers. High Times advertises a device called "It Sucks" and looks to be the same thing. It is a small hand held vacuum pump which is placed over an adhesive tab that is placed over a small hole that is made in the lid or somewhere on your container and remove practically all atmospheric gases as is done with most food sold in glass jars. It cost under $30, which is cheap for the long term storage capabilities it provides. When you open a jar, the "swooshing" sound lets you know it works. "It Sucks" work with most glass jars, if they have a metal soft seal lid like canning jars.

After the harvest is cured and dry enough to create a snapping sound when stems are bent, the material is vacuum sealed in glass containers with a dessicant. Once the oxygen is removed from within them, the curing process and cannabinoid dterioration slows to a halt. The buds must remain dry, kept out of direct light, and the ambient temperature should be kept cool and constant. I prefer to keep the majority of the sealed jars in the refrigerator. Freezing in vacuum sealed glass containers is best for uninterrupted, long term storage. I keep "jars in use" in the cupboard to avoid humidity and temperature fluctuations that occur when you remove them from the refridgerator.

 

[dc534]

I believe another good way to vaccum seal, if you have no money to spare, is to bring a pot of water to a boil, hold a re-seal jar into the bath with some tongs for 10 minutes, than quickly pull it out throw your buds in and close the lid. Should be sealed. Just make sure there is no water in the jars, that would not be good when you go to put your bud in the fridge. lol.

 

[decrimCA]

Here is some good advice I found and use for myself:

Let assume you just dried a harvest, or you came into some extra cash and bought a ton of weed. It's going to take time to smoke it all, so you must store the extra. Proper storage of marijuana is critical, due to the fact bacteria will grow on damp buds. Many of these bacteria are quite dangerous, and can cause severe allergic reactions. So let's play it safe ok?

Jars Method
You will need glass mason (or fruit canning) jars with sealable tops. Place the DRY buds inside and seal. Store the jars in a cool dark place, the fridge if you need to. Keep an eye on your bud for mold. If the bud was completely dry going in, you should be fine. Its been reported that the bud will actually "cure" better using this method, producing some sweet smellin buds!

Freezer Method
To properly use the freezer method, you need to have access to vacuum sealable bags. Its very important to remove all air from the bag because the remaining air could dry the bud, and ruin the flavor. The only downside to this is you may have some squished buds. After placing the marijuana into the sealable bag and removing the air, place into your freezer. The great thing is, mold and fungus will not grow in freezing conditions. When it comes time to smoke, you don't need to thaw, just blaze away!
The Downside: All plastic bags carry a static charge, which pulls the crystals off your bud and sticks to the plastic. This means you are reducing the potency slightly.

And this is an awesome site:

Marijuana

Manicuring, Drying, And Curing Marijuana


Right after all the plants have been harvested, it is time to manicure them. Manicuring is simply cutting off the leaves that were growing from the buds. Cut off all the leaves surrounding the bud, so that just the bud remains.

Work over a glass table or some kind of smooth flat surface. This will make it easy to collect all the material that has been cut away from the buds. It is lower in THC than the buds, but rather than throw it away, you can use it to make hash oil.

When manicuring the buds, use a pair of scissors with small blades (to reach hard to get leaves) that is comfortable on your hands. If you have a small crop, you can handle the plants with you bare hands. With a large crop, wear powder free latex gloves.

The latex gloves will collect trichome resin in a similar manner to the way live marijuana plants are rubbed to make hashish. The latex gloves have to be powder free or the powder will get mixed into the resin.

Do not touch anything other than the plants once you have put the gloves on. If you have to do something, remove the gloves you are wearing and put them in a plastic bag, prior to doing whatever it is that has to be done.

When finished, put on a pair of new gloves. Material on the first pair can be collected later. When you are finished manicuring all the plants, remove the gloves and place them in a plastic bag (to catch resin that drops off).

Put the plastic bag with the gloves in a freezer for 2-3 hours. The trichome resin can easily be peeled from the frozen latex gloves and consumed the same way you would use hashish.

If absolutely necessary, you can wait to manicure the buds. However, the job will take more time if you wait. Manicuring right after the plants are harvested will also speed the drying process.

Instead smoking marijuana directly after it is harvested and manicured, it is best to dry and cure it. Some new growers might be in such a rush to try the marijuana that they don't want to dry the crop, or they might be tempted to put buds in a microwave oven to dry them out.


Drying Marijuana After Harvest

You probably don't want to smoke marijuana that is harsh and bad tasting. If you do not take time to dry the bud, you will not get the best possible smell and taste your crop is capable of producing.

Proper drying and curing will also ensure maximum potency of the marijuana you have grown. Marijuana is not potent just after harvest. Some of the THC is in a non-psychoactive acidic form. Drying marijuana the right way will convert the non-psychoactive acidic compounds into psychoactive THC.

The area where the drying is done should be dark. Light and high temperatures (higher than about 80 degrees) will cause THC to break down into less desirable chemicals, this will lower the potency of the finished product.

A good way to dry the crop is to hang the buds upside-down by the stem, from some string or wire. The drying marijuana must have some circulation blowing over it at all times. A gentle breeze that circulates over all the plants is necessary.

A fan or two will circulate air within the drying room. Fans will aid in drying the plants evenly, and reducing the chances of mold. If mold starts and is allowed to grow, it might ruin all of your crop. Mold looks like white fuzz and has an odor that is unpleasant.

You will have to keep the temperature and humidity within a certain range for optimal results. Conditions should remain constantly somewhere within the following ranges, temperature should be between 65-75 degrees F, relative humidity should be between 45%-55%.

At temperatures lower than 65 degrees, drying time will be lengthened. At temperatures higher than 75 degrees, the heat will cause the outer portion of the bud to dry quicker than the inner part, and the taste will suffer.

At humidity levels lower than 45%, the marijuana will dry too fast and the taste will suffer. At humidity levels higher than 55%, the marijuana will take a long time to dry, and it will be prone to mold.

Keep a hygrometer and a thermometer in the drying area, close to the plants. A hygrometer will allow you to keep an eye on the relative humidity level in the room and a thermometer will display the temperature. Some hygrometers have built in thermometers so you can measure the temperature and humidity together.

Depending on the time of year and your location, a heater or an air conditioner may be necessary to adjust the temperature. To control humidity, a dehumidifier can lower humidity and a humidifier can be used to raise humidity. There are warm mist humidifiers and cool mist humidifiers.

A warm mist humidifier will raise the temperature while a cool mist humidifier will not affect the temperature. There are also humidifiers that allow you to switch between warm or cool mist. If you are going to purchase a humidifier for this purpose, take your climate into consideration and buy an appropriate humidifier.

Warm mist models will actually heat the water and release warm humidity. Cool mist water isn't cooled, it just means that water is not heated. In most cases a cool mist will work best. To be safe you can get a humidifier that lets you switch between warm and cool mist.


Curing Marijuana

It will take at least a week or two to dry the crop with temperatures between 65-75 degrees F and relative humidity between 45%-55%. You will know when the marijuana is dry if the stems snap or break (rather than fold) when they are bent. Try smoking a small bud (1/2 gram or less) in a joint to be sure it is dry enough.

At this time, small buds will be dry enough to smoke. But larger buds should be cured (slow dried) to ensure that the marijuana is as potent and tasty as possible. If necessary, you can set aside buds that are less than 1/2 gram for smoking, while larger buds cure.

The cure lasts a week or two. The aim of what you are doing is evenly finishing the slow dry process, so that mold will not grow when the buds are stored long term. Also, by the end of the cure, any remaining inactive THC will be converted to active THC (that increases potency).

To cure the crop, you will need one or more containers made out of glass or plastic. Some people say plastic can impart a taste to the marijuana. Personally, plastic containers that some types of roll your own tobacco are sold in, have no negative effect on the taste.

Containers that have a rubber seal work best, but any type of container with a tight fitting lid will do. One quart canning jars do a very good job if you are curing a few pounds or less. They have a rubber seal and hold 2 or more ounces of marijuana per one quart jar.

When curing quantities in excess of a few pounds, large (over 40 quarts) plastic storage boxes are recommended. They are not air tight, but will do the job when smaller air tight containers are not practical.

Gently place your marijuana in the containers (cut buds to size if the are too big to fit in the container) and put the top on. Store the containers in a dark area where the temperature is between 50-65 degrees and the humidity is between 40%-60%.

You will have to open the containers for a few minutes to allow moisture to escape by fanning with your hand. If any moisture builds up on the inside of the cap on your container, wipe it off. Do this preferably 2-6 times daily, at regular 4-12 hour intervals.

You should also re-arrange the buds by giving them a quarter-turn once a day. This will ensure that different parts of the buds are exposed to the air in the container. Keep up this routine for 7-10 days. When properly dried, marijuana will burn evenly when smoked in a joint (if stems are removed).

The taste will be as good as it can be, and the THC will have reached a point where it is ready to be ingested or stored. You can keep any marijuana that will be consumed within a few months (1 year maximum) in the same containers used for curing, without having to keep opening them to release moisture.

If the marijuana is to be stored for more than a few months, you can use a vacuum sealer (designed for storing food) to seal the marijuana in an airtight environment. If stored in a dark area that is between 40-55 degrees F, the marijuana in vacuum sealed plastic will remain potent for up to 5 years.

Dry marijuana can be stored in a frost-free freezer, but some of the THC on the outer part of the buds may be damaged when frozen. A refrigerator is in the right temperature range but they tend to be humid (unless you can control the humidity).

If stored in an area of high humidity for months or years, even vacuum sealed marijuana can eventually become as humid as the surrounding air. This will necessitate drying it again before smoking. But, unless mold develops, humidity itself will not degrade the THC or make the marijuana any less potent.

Light will degrade some of the THC, so dark containers can be used for storage. If you place the marijuana in a see through container, it will have to be located in a dark area that is not exposed to light or high temperatures.

Always make sure to properly dry your marijuana prior to storage, if you grow your own or if the stuff you have is very moist. And remember that to preserve marijuana potency at a maximum level, keep any exposure to air, heat, and light at a minimum.

 

[Sensibowl]

Here is some good advice I found and use for myself:

Let assume you just dried a harvest, or you came into some extra cash and bought a ton of weed. It's going to take time to smoke it all, so you must store the extra. Proper storage of marijuana is critical, due to the fact bacteria will grow on damp buds. Many of these bacteria are quite dangerous, and can cause severe allergic reactions. So let's play it safe ok?

Jars Method
You will need glass mason (or fruit canning) jars with sealable tops. Place the DRY buds inside and seal. Store the jars in a cool dark place, the fridge if you need to. Keep an eye on your bud for mold. If the bud was completely dry going in, you should be fine. Its been reported that the bud will actually "cure" better using this method, producing some sweet smellin buds!

Freezer Method
To properly use the freezer method, you need to have access to vacuum sealable bags. Its very important to remove all air from the bag because the remaining air could dry the bud, and ruin the flavor. The only downside to this is you may have some squished buds. After placing the marijuana into the sealable bag and removing the air, place into your freezer. The great thing is, mold and fungus will not grow in freezing conditions. When it comes time to smoke, you don't need to thaw, just blaze away!
The Downside: All plastic bags carry a static charge, which pulls the crystals off your bud and sticks to the plastic. This means you are reducing the potency slightly.

And this is an awesome site:

Marijuana

Manicuring, Drying, And Curing Marijuana


Right after all the plants have been harvested, it is time to manicure them. Manicuring is simply cutting off the leaves that were growing from the buds. Cut off all the leaves surrounding the bud, so that just the bud remains.

Work over a glass table or some kind of smooth flat surface. This will make it easy to collect all the material that has been cut away from the buds. It is lower in THC than the buds, but rather than throw it away, you can use it to make hash oil.

When manicuring the buds, use a pair of scissors with small blades (to reach hard to get leaves) that is comfortable on your hands. If you have a small crop, you can handle the plants with you bare hands. With a large crop, wear powder free latex gloves.

The latex gloves will collect trichome resin in a similar manner to the way live marijuana plants are rubbed to make hashish. The latex gloves have to be powder free or the powder will get mixed into the resin.

Do not touch anything other than the plants once you have put the gloves on. If you have to do something, remove the gloves you are wearing and put them in a plastic bag, prior to doing whatever it is that has to be done.

When finished, put on a pair of new gloves. Material on the first pair can be collected later. When you are finished manicuring all the plants, remove the gloves and place them in a plastic bag (to catch resin that drops off).

Put the plastic bag with the gloves in a freezer for 2-3 hours. The trichome resin can easily be peeled from the frozen latex gloves and consumed the same way you would use hashish.

If absolutely necessary, you can wait to manicure the buds. However, the job will take more time if you wait. Manicuring right after the plants are harvested will also speed the drying process.

Instead smoking marijuana directly after it is harvested and manicured, it is best to dry and cure it. Some new growers might be in such a rush to try the marijuana that they don't want to dry the crop, or they might be tempted to put buds in a microwave oven to dry them out.


Drying Marijuana After Harvest

You probably don't want to smoke marijuana that is harsh and bad tasting. If you do not take time to dry the bud, you will not get the best possible smell and taste your crop is capable of producing.

Proper drying and curing will also ensure maximum potency of the marijuana you have grown. Marijuana is not potent just after harvest. Some of the THC is in a non-psychoactive acidic form. Drying marijuana the right way will convert the non-psychoactive acidic compounds into psychoactive THC.

The area where the drying is done should be dark. Light and high temperatures (higher than about 80 degrees) will cause THC to break down into less desirable chemicals, this will lower the potency of the finished product.

A good way to dry the crop is to hang the buds upside-down by the stem, from some string or wire. The drying marijuana must have some circulation blowing over it at all times. A gentle breeze that circulates over all the plants is necessary.

A fan or two will circulate air within the drying room. Fans will aid in drying the plants evenly, and reducing the chances of mold. If mold starts and is allowed to grow, it might ruin all of your crop. Mold looks like white fuzz and has an odor that is unpleasant.

You will have to keep the temperature and humidity within a certain range for optimal results. Conditions should remain constantly somewhere within the following ranges, temperature should be between 65-75 degrees F, relative humidity should be between 45%-55%.

At temperatures lower than 65 degrees, drying time will be lengthened. At temperatures higher than 75 degrees, the heat will cause the outer portion of the bud to dry quicker than the inner part, and the taste will suffer.

At humidity levels lower than 45%, the marijuana will dry too fast and the taste will suffer. At humidity levels higher than 55%, the marijuana will take a long time to dry, and it will be prone to mold.

Keep a hygrometer and a thermometer in the drying area, close to the plants. A hygrometer will allow you to keep an eye on the relative humidity level in the room and a thermometer will display the temperature. Some hygrometers have built in thermometers so you can measure the temperature and humidity together.

Depending on the time of year and your location, a heater or an air conditioner may be necessary to adjust the temperature. To control humidity, a dehumidifier can lower humidity and a humidifier can be used to raise humidity. There are warm mist humidifiers and cool mist humidifiers.

A warm mist humidifier will raise the temperature while a cool mist humidifier will not affect the temperature. There are also humidifiers that allow you to switch between warm or cool mist. If you are going to purchase a humidifier for this purpose, take your climate into consideration and buy an appropriate humidifier.

Warm mist models will actually heat the water and release warm humidity. Cool mist water isn't cooled, it just means that water is not heated. In most cases a cool mist will work best. To be safe you can get a humidifier that lets you switch between warm and cool mist.


Curing Marijuana

It will take at least a week or two to dry the crop with temperatures between 65-75 degrees F and relative humidity between 45%-55%. You will know when the marijuana is dry if the stems snap or break (rather than fold) when they are bent. Try smoking a small bud (1/2 gram or less) in a joint to be sure it is dry enough.

At this time, small buds will be dry enough to smoke. But larger buds should be cured (slow dried) to ensure that the marijuana is as potent and tasty as possible. If necessary, you can set aside buds that are less than 1/2 gram for smoking, while larger buds cure.

The cure lasts a week or two. The aim of what you are doing is evenly finishing the slow dry process, so that mold will not grow when the buds are stored long term. Also, by the end of the cure, any remaining inactive THC will be converted to active THC (that increases potency).

To cure the crop, you will need one or more containers made out of glass or plastic. Some people say plastic can impart a taste to the marijuana. Personally, plastic containers that some types of roll your own tobacco are sold in, have no negative effect on the taste.

Containers that have a rubber seal work best, but any type of container with a tight fitting lid will do. One quart canning jars do a very good job if you are curing a few pounds or less. They have a rubber seal and hold 2 or more ounces of marijuana per one quart jar.

When curing quantities in excess of a few pounds, large (over 40 quarts) plastic storage boxes are recommended. They are not air tight, but will do the job when smaller air tight containers are not practical.

Gently place your marijuana in the containers (cut buds to size if the are too big to fit in the container) and put the top on. Store the containers in a dark area where the temperature is between 50-65 degrees and the humidity is between 40%-60%.

You will have to open the containers for a few minutes to allow moisture to escape by fanning with your hand. If any moisture builds up on the inside of the cap on your container, wipe it off. Do this preferably 2-6 times daily, at regular 4-12 hour intervals.

You should also re-arrange the buds by giving them a quarter-turn once a day. This will ensure that different parts of the buds are exposed to the air in the container. Keep up this routine for 7-10 days. When properly dried, marijuana will burn evenly when smoked in a joint (if stems are removed).

The taste will be as good as it can be, and the THC will have reached a point where it is ready to be ingested or stored. You can keep any marijuana that will be consumed within a few months (1 year maximum) in the same containers used for curing, without having to keep opening them to release moisture.

If the marijuana is to be stored for more than a few months, you can use a vacuum sealer (designed for storing food) to seal the marijuana in an airtight environment. If stored in a dark area that is between 40-55 degrees F, the marijuana in vacuum sealed plastic will remain potent for up to 5 years.

Dry marijuana can be stored in a frost-free freezer, but some of the THC on the outer part of the buds may be damaged when frozen. A refrigerator is in the right temperature range but they tend to be humid (unless you can control the humidity).

If stored in an area of high humidity for months or years, even vacuum sealed marijuana can eventually become as humid as the surrounding air. This will necessitate drying it again before smoking. But, unless mold develops, humidity itself will not degrade the THC or make the marijuana any less potent.

Light will degrade some of the THC, so dark containers can be used for storage. If you place the marijuana in a see through container, it will have to be located in a dark area that is not exposed to light or high temperatures.

Always make sure to properly dry your marijuana prior to storage, if you grow your own or if the stuff you have is very moist. And remember that to preserve marijuana potency at a maximum level, keep any exposure to air, heat, and light at a minimum.

WOW...great info. +rep!

 

[QUEENBUD00]

Neato...yeah it's comming all back thanks man....

 

[H-factor]

What about storing cannabis in mason jar and freezing

 

[TattooedJT]

Man, I love this site!

 

[bunches]

Great info. I'll make room in the refrigerator

 

[Smokemupm8]

Hi mate, as Decrim posted, thats a few of the main ways people dry cure and store their smoke. I had some branches hanging until recently and they were all dry n crispy.. I stored n cured mine in jars and vacc. sealed bags.. some in normal zip-lok bags. The taste n stone of weed varied with method and time, im onto my last bag of main cola's that were double bagged in zip lok bags and its mad as, the smell is somewhat gone until you break open that bud! Then she releases her smell and your fingers get sticky and when i chop up it just fluffs up mad, so im happy with this,its a great high,head and body tastes like nice outdoor weed Hope this all helps you a little! Good luk and Happy Toking

 

[4fingers]

I use a vacuum sealer with the bags, it stores very well if the freezer. I had had stuff in there for 2 years and it is still very good.

 

[brotherbuddz]

When finished the drying and curing process can the buds be stored in a Tin container and then put in the fridge?

 

[Smokemupm8]

In my opinion,best way is to seal it in air tight bags in a cool environment. Fridge can dry ur weed out like a freezer.. Ive had smoke stored in bags for 6 months n was still sticky..

 

[DarkGreenGoo]

There are products you can purchase that you toss into your jar/storing method and they will keep it at 62 percent humidity for up to a year. You can keep product perfect, for a number of years using them. It is the same company that sells the 72 percent packs people use for Cigars worth $300+ . They work great, and cure your product/medicine perfectly the entire time. People have trusted the company with insanely expensive cigars for a long time, and what they offer works and is trusted.

Just google "62 percent humidity packs, Marijuana".

They make a line of packs specifically designed for curing and storing medical marijuana.

 

[casey2003]

I have used this method over and over with excellent shelf life. Once I have dried and cured my buds in mason jars, when you feel that snap from your weed, throw in a Boveda 62% humidity pack 1 per/jar and it is as simple as that i keep mines in a cool dark cupboard, I brought down a crop almost 6 months ago and using this method they still snap sweetly.

 

[FatRob]

There are products you can purchase that you toss into your jar/storing method and they will keep it at 62 percent humidity for up to a year. You can keep product perfect, for a number of years using them. It is the same company that sells the 72 percent packs people use for Cigars worth $300+ . They work great, and cure your product/medicine perfectly the entire time. People have trusted the company with insanely expensive cigars for a long time, and what they offer works and is trusted.

Just google "62 percent humidity packs, Marijuana".

They make a line of packs specifically designed for curing and storing medical marijuana.

62% Boveda Humidipacks are available from Amazon. Excellent addition to your humidor.

 

[Hawker]

bump

 

[Joyle]

bump

Hello, I have a big harvest in rubber sealed all glass (including the lids) jars. I'm really glad I managed to grow 8 plants outside without being thrown in jail! My daughter has lupus and my grandson has Tourette's syndrome and a heap of co morbid conditions. I really need to keep this crop for 2 to 3 years if that's possible as I really don't want to risk growing anymore. Australia is just now talking about legalising but for the dying ... not the living! So frustrating! Anyway, they only use it in a vaporiser or as an edible in coconut butter. My question is if the jar is rubber sealed at between 60 and 65 rh in a dark cupboard in an air conditioned house how can the rh within the jar change? I have a vacuum sealer and am concerned enough to wonder if I should freeze at least some of the crop to hedge my bet so to speak?!

 

[FatRob]

Hello, I have a big harvest in rubber sealed all glass (including the lids) jars. I'm really glad I managed to grow 8 plants outside without being thrown in jail! My daughter has lupus and my grandson has Tourette's syndrome and a heap of co morbid conditions. I really need to keep this crop for 2 to 3 years if that's possible as I really don't want to risk growing anymore. Australia is just now talking about legalising but for the dying ... not the living! So frustrating! Anyway, they only use it in a vaporiser or as an edible in coconut butter. My question is if the jar is rubber sealed at between 60 and 65 rh in a dark cupboard in an air conditioned house how can the rh within the jar change? I have a vacuum sealer and am concerned enough to wonder if I should freeze at least some of the crop to hedge my bet so to speak?!

I'd keep it in the jars, but I'd add a 62% Boveda Humidipack to each jar. The rh in a sealed jar will change as the temps change. As temps drop humidity will go up, that's what's relative about it. The Bovedas will reduce these humidity fluctuations. If the jar is sealed well the Boveda will last pretty much forever nearly as I can tell.

 

[Joyle]

Thank you very much for your input. I have looked at the Boveda packs before. I will need to buy them from the U.S. online as they aren't available here. When I first realised they were unavailable in Australia I concluded that no-one growing cannabis here thought them a necessary item. Then again, maybe they aren't interested in storing it for years?! Haha

 

[pixel]

I'm new here. Only been part of this for a short period of time as my doctor put me on medical marijuana as I'd been on strong narcotics for nearly two years.

We received a food saver vacu-seal machine when we got married and we honestly don't use it much. I've been able to vacu seal things to a point where they are super fresh without damaging anything.

I think these machines are idea as they have a gentle settings that are perfect for things like this. When you open a bag it smells as fresh as the day you sealed it.

It's a worth while investment.