The Best Ways to Keep Flower Fresh

Keeping your flower at its freshest is a way to conserve its potency, so you get the most out of your weed! Naturally, the best dispensaries provide excellent storage containers, such as resealable packets and screw-top glass jars. But what if you want to personalize or combine your stash and the container is too small? And how does the storage environment affect how strong it is?

Cannabis users rely on the wonders of THC to live their best lives. It helps to keep us calm, content, and creative. But even when the flower is dried and processed, if those beautiful buds aren’t stored in the right way, you might not get exactly what you paid for!

Find the most flavorful flower and the most potent indicas, sativas, and hybrids in Central California at Medallion Wellness! Order online for in-store or curbside pickup in Modesto, Fresno, Atwater, Waterford, and Merced. Or have us come to you!

Weed for Delivery in Central California

Pickup only in Atwater at (559) 785-3559. Call your nearest location or fill out a form if you have any questions!

Potency By the Numbers

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC’s full name) is the psychoactive component of cannabis. ⁽¹⁾ Before the boom of the 90s, THC potency hovered around the 2% mark. ⁽²⁾ However, with today’s grow techniques, and crossbreeding of the strongest strains, the average premium flower is between 25-35% THC. In fact, research indicates that over a 20 year period, weed potency increased by a gigantic 212%! ⁽²⁾

Flower Storage No-Nos

The extent of most people’s knowledge of weed storage usually doesn’t go beyond keeping it sealed and dry. But there’s a little more to it than that! Before we tell you how to store your weed, we’ll tell you what not to do with it. 

No ‘Fridging, No Freezing’

When you need to extend the shelf-life of food, you can put it in the refrigerator, or you can put it in the freezer for long-term storage. However, most of the time, the same cannot be said for cannabis flowers, no matter how long you want to keep them stashed away. But why?

The answer is the incredibly delicate trichomes in the bud that concentrate most of the THC within them. These tiny, mushroom-shaped appendages are sticky at room temperature. But once they reach a certain temperature, they become damage-prone. And when they are frozen, they can literally shatter!

Some people argue that freezing your weed is a good way to preserve it. And, while that is true to a certain extent, you have to really know what you’re doing if you intend to store your weed in this way long-term. The casual weed-smoker, and even the daily smoker wants to be able to roll up without the hassle. So take it from us, and keep your weed away from the frozen peas and bologna!

Forgotten Weed

We know you’d never let it happen, but on occasion, flower can be left out on the coffee table, or it can be “swallowed” by the couch, or fall out of sight and out of mind until you find it again a few days later. Left to the elements, that bud loses more than just its strength. It also loses its beautifully cultivated aroma and taste. If you’ve ever “found” a loose nug, ground it, and smoked it, you’ll know. Instead of dank, lemony goodness, you may be on the wrong end of some serious bitterness, and a harsh draw to match!

5 Tips to Keep Your Weed Potent

The chemicals in cannabis change when they are exposed to the elements. Left for long enough, oxidation will cause THC to turn into cannabinol (CBN). CBN is a cannabinoid known less for its psychoactive properties and more for its ability to send you to sleep. Terpenes also turn bitter with oxidation, changing the flavor profile of the plant. So, to make the most of your weed, and to avoid spoilage, follow these 5 helpful tips.

1.  Air-Tight Storage

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first. Everyone has their preferred cannabis storage container. Some people just use the one their weed came in from the dispensary, while others prefer to put their own personal spin on things. We even know people who have hand-painted their stash pots! While smaller quantities of flower is often sold in a typical “pop top” cylindrical container, plastic won’t keep larger quantities fresh for longer periods of time. Instead, the number one choice for most seasoned smokers is a glass jar with a good seal (screw top or rubber seal canning jar). 

2. Cool Temperature

Temperature control is an important factor in indoor cannabis growing. It’s also crucial to proper storage once the buds are dried, packaged, and shipped off to the nearest California cannabis dispensary. When you get your weed (after pickup or delivery), consider its particular nature when it comes to temperature. Cannabis likes a temperature that’s not too hot and not too cold, just like us! In fact, a great temperature is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Avoid Humidity

Unless it’s (briefly) in a bong, cannabis and humidity don’t mix! When storing your weed, ensure the place you put it in isn’t prone to steam and condensation, especially if they show up a lot on your windows. If weed is stored in these conditions, you risk your beloved stash getting moldy, which is not only unfortunate, it’s also kind of gross. On the other hand, a cool, dry place in a well-sealed container is perfect. And, if you really want to protect your weed from moisture, try a humidity pack or a humidor!

4. Avoid UV Exposure

We all know how damaging sunlight is to our skin. It’s also damaging to the potency of your weed. Weed-loving California natives Sublime may have an amazing logo, but generally, the sun and cannabis don’t work well together. Like a faded photograph, your stash will degrade in color and potency with ultraviolet exposure. To prevent that from happening, avoid leaving your weed on the counter or on the window ledge on those sunny Central California days. Instead, ensure your weed is in a place that’s out of direct sunlight. You can also buy UV-proof glass containers!

5. Use It or Lose It!

It goes without saying that the best way to enjoy fresh flower is to smoke it up, and smoke it quickly. The trick is only to grind what you need, and save the rest. If you’re new to cannabis, speak to your budtender before you buy to ensure you’re getting a quantity that’s good for you in the short-term. Those of you with a fair tolerance, we don’t even have to say what you need to do.

Don’t Forget Your Pre-Rolls

If you’ve rolled a few before a party, or you’ve gotten pre-rolls from the dispensary, remember to store them well too. The same principles apply, even though your flower is already wrapped and ready to go. They may be used quickly after acquisition, but if the atmosphere is moist you risk a limp, damp smoke that doesn’t burn down right. The small plastic “pop top” tubes you purchase pre-rolls in are fine for short-term use, but if you’re storing for longer than a few days, consider getting an airtight glass jar that’s long enough to hold your precious pre-rolls (just like Almora does).

Shop our Premium Pre-Roll Selection.

Premium Flower Selection at Medallion Wellness

Indica

For all your calming, relaxation needs, shop our selection of indica flower and drift into a peaceful state of mind.

Sativa

Feeling low on energy? Revitalize yourself and get the buzz you need for that spark of creativity with our delicious sativas.

Hybrid

Get the best of both worlds with our amazing selection of hybrid flower.

Weed for Delivery & Curbside Pickup in Modesto, CA

Shop our full Modesto Menu, Modesto #2 Menu, Waterford Menu, and Atwater Menu for delivery, in-store purchase, or curbside pickup (in-store and curbside only for Atwater location). And if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

References

1. Ng T, Gupta V. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). PubMed. Published 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563174/#:~:text=THC%20or%20Tetrahydrocannabinol%20is%20the 
2. Stuyt E. The Problem with the Current High Potency THC Marijuana from the Perspective of an Addiction Psychiatrist. Missouri medicine. 2018;115(6):482-486. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6312155/