How to store CBD flowers better

Storing your CBD flowers properly isn't as straightforward as you might think. If you thought keeping them in an ordinary plastic baggie on the living room table, near the window, would do the trick, think again. Here's a practical guide to help you store your CBD flowers better.

Key takeaways

• Keep your CBD flowers away from light, humidity and air.
• Use suitable containers, meaning airtight and opaque ones.
• Well-stored flowers can keep for several months (3 to 6) without losing quality.
  

Banish the enemies of good storage: light, heat, humidity and oxygen

Before finding out how to store your CBD flowers properly, we recommend getting to know what damages them. CBD flowers are sensitive to their environment, and their freshness and effectiveness depend closely on the conditions in which they are kept.

Enemy number 1: light. It's easy to overlook, especially when your affordable CBD flowers arrive in a clear bag, but UV exposure degrades cannabinoids and terpenes. It only takes a few days for a flower left near a window in a non-opaque container to lose some of its potency.

Enemy number 2: heat. Keeping your flowers in a room that's too warm or near a heat source such as a radiator or electronic devices can make them dry out too quickly. Their texture then becomes crumbly, and they lose their aroma and effectiveness.

Enemy number 3: humidity. This is probably the trickiest factor to manage. If it's too high, the flowers can go mouldy. If it's too low, the flowers dry out, lose their aroma and become unpleasant to consume. The ideal humidity level for CBD flowers is between 55% and 62%. To keep it in check, you can get a hygrometer or use humidity control packs (Boveda, Integra, etc.).

Enemy number 4: oxygen. Oxygen in the surrounding air contributes to the slow oxidation of the flower. Air contains oxygen, which gradually degrades the active molecules. The more your flowers are exposed to air, the more quality they lose over time.

The key to good storage, then, is to recreate a dark, cool, dry and stable environment. What's more, smaller flowers such as CBD small buds are all the more sensitive to these factors.

Choose the right containers to store CBD flowers

Choosing the right container to store your flowers is essential. The best option is a tinted glass jar with an airtight lid. Glass is a neutral material that doesn't affect aromas and contains no chemicals. It also helps prevent moisture from building up. If it's tinted as well, it shields the flowers from light, and the airtight lid limits how much air gets into the jar.

If you can't get hold of a tinted jar, a standard glass jar will also do the job, provided you keep it somewhere dark. Alternatively, you can opt for opaque metal tins; just make sure they're properly airtight.

Failing that, you can also store your flowers in vacuum-sealed bags. They reduce exposure to oxygen almost entirely, making them ideal for storing flowers for several months. However, vacuum-sealing flowers can be a little tricky: you need to avoid compressing them too much so as not to spoil their appearance.

🍃 Our pro tip: add a humidity control pack to your containers (Boveda or Integra Boost). They maintain a stable humidity level, which stops the flower from going mouldy or drying out. It's very effective for extending the product's freshness. It would be a shame to waste your delicious Amnesia CBD.

Finally, once your Californian CBD flower is safely stored in the right container, keep it in a suitable place. By that, we mean a closed cupboard, a cool drawer or a wooden box at a stable temperature. The ideal is around 15 to 20 °C.

Be careful: avoid storing your flowers in zip-lock plastic bags or soft plastic tubs at all costs. They let air through, trap moisture and can give the flowers an unpleasant taste. What's more, they offer no protection against light or heat.

How long can you keep CBD flowers?

How long CBD flowers keep depends directly on how they're stored. If you follow all the recommendations we've just given you, you can keep your flowers for 3 to 6 months without any significant deterioration.

Well-stored flowers could stay in good condition for up to a year, but that requires truly rigorous storage. No slip-ups: an airtight container, flawless humidity control, zero light and a constant temperature. We still recommend consuming your flowers within 6 months.

🍃 Our pro tip: write down the date you jarred them on a label or directly on the jar. This lets you keep track of how the flower changes over time and avoid consuming a flower that's been forgotten at the back of a cupboard for a year. Nobody wants the delicious aromas of their Orange Bud CBD to fade away.

CBD flowers are a living product that deserves a little care. With a minimum of attention and rigour, you can enjoy your products at their freshest.