How to Store Cannabis Flower: Temperature, Humidity, Jars

Quick Answer

Store cannabis flower in an airtight glass jar, in a dark, cool cabinet. Hold the jar between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit and add a two-way humidity pack that keeps the air at 58-62% relative humidity. Sealed that way, flower holds most of its terpenes and potency for three to six months.

read more

Supplies

• Glass jar with an airtight lid, such as a mason jar or a UV-blocking flower jar
• Two-way humidity pack sized for the jar volume
• Labels and a pen
• Phone reminder for burping the jar

Steps to Store Cannabis Flower

1. Choose a jar that holds your flower with one or two inches of headspace left over.
2. Move the flower into the jar with clean, dry hands or a spoon.
3. Place one humidity pack on top of the flower.
4. Press the lid down until the seal seats and no air leaks.
5. Put the jar in a cabinet away from windows, stoves, and appliances that run warm.
6. Write the strain name and the date on the label.
7. Open the jar for about five minutes once every one to two weeks.
8. Swap the humidity pack when it turns stiff or crunchy.

Short-Term Storage

If you plan to smoke the flower within two weeks, a small jar works well. Keep only what you use daily in the jar you open often, and leave the rest sealed in a second container. Each time a jar opens, air enters and terpenes escape, so splitting your stash into a use jar and a backup jar protects quality on the backup.

storing cannabis in a cool dark place

Long-Term Storage

For two months or more, use a full airtight jar, a fresh humidity pack, and a spot that stays below 70 degrees. Do not grind flower before storage. Ground flower stales in days because the surface area is far larger. Some people vacuum-seal jars for holds past six months, but the jar still needs to sit in the dark.

Marijuana Storage Containers and Methods: A Practical Guide

Temperature and Humidity Targets

Flower is dry plant material coated in volatile oils. Heat sends terpenes into the air and speeds the conversion of THC into CBN, which makes flower sedating and dull. Humidity above 65% invites mold, while humidity below 50% dries flower into dust that burns harsh. Aim for the middle of both ranges: 58-62% relative humidity and 60-70 degrees. Boveda packs are rated for this window and hold it for about two months in a sealed jar.

What to Avoid

• Plastic baggies, which crush trichomes and let aroma escape through the film
• Direct sunlight, which breaks down cannabinoids
• The refrigerator, where condensation forms each time the jar warms
• The freezer, unless the flower is vacuum-sealed and stays frozen
• Hot cars, windowsills, and cabinets above the stove
• Packing a jar until flower compresses into a block

Signs Flower Has Gone Bad

Look for white fuzz, gray patches, or black spots, all of which point to mold. A sour or ammonia smell means the flower sweated inside the jar, often from being sealed while still damp. Brown, crumbly flower with no smell has lost terpenes and much of its THC. Discard moldy flower. Spores spread to anything stored next to it and can cause breathing problems, mainly for people with weakened immune systems.