There is a lot to consider and control when it comes to cannabis storage environments. The hundreds of chemical compounds that give cultivars unique aromas, flavors, appearance, and effects are vulnerable to alteration when buds are stored in an uncontrolled environment. As growers know, everything from air, light, temperature, and moisture levels can affect the quality and ultimately the price of cannabis flower when these conditions fluctuate too much.
Luckily, we’ve come a long way from storing marijuana in staticky plastic bags or glass mason jars in a cool, dark closet thanks to new technologies for commercial farms and processors that can block UV light, automatically regulate humidity, keep aromas contained, and be used multiple times for a better return on the investment. Some simple looking marijuana storage solutions, like those produced by Grove Bags and Cannatrol, can also act as curing systems to help ensure each cultivar’s cannabinoids and terpenes reach their peak post-harvest potential. While fiber drums and 55-gallon plastic containers may be adequate for storing bulk plant material, buds destined for retail where bag appeal matters deserve a bit more care.
Grove Bags
- Weight/capacity: ½ ounce to 5 gallon
- Opacity: windowed and opaque
- Technology: TerpLoc
Grove Bags creates curing and storage bags with proprietary technology that streamlines the post-harvest process and removes opportunities for human error. Grove’s TerpLoc technology works in the most simple terms by creating a neutral charge within the bag to prevent delicate trichomes from being stripped from buds. Grove Bags storage solutions also provide humidity and airflow control without any manual adjustments, removing the need for any additional two-way humidity packets, oxygen scrubbers, or vacuum sealing.
Grove Bags products are designed to help simplify the post-harvest process by acting as both a curing and a storage environment for buds. TerpLoc technology eliminates the need for “burping” by automatically outgassing excess oxygen and water vapor to create optimal conditions for curing and storing your cannabis, which also helps in controlling mold and mildew.
Grove offers cultivators flexibility in their post-harvest process. A cultivar can be cured over the course of just a couple weeks or extended up to six months for long-term maturation. After curing, flower can spend up to 12 months on the shelf without losing valuable terpenes and cannabinoids that work together to create a potent, high-quality product. Grove Bags also protects flower from UV rays while keeping the strong aromas of cannabis contained with smell-proof solutions.
Boveda Humidity Packs
- Weight/capacity: 1/8 ounce to 5 pounds
- Opacity: N/A
- Technology: Terpene Shield
Boveda manufactures two-way humidity control products that keep terpenes intact throughout the shelf-life of flower. The company offers products that bring storage containers like bags, totes, and mason jars to a relative humidity level. This level is within the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards, which is between 55 and 65 percent RH.
To maintain the ideal RH, membranes in the packs rely on reverse osmosis to filter out a precise amount of moisture. This function helps prevent mold and over-drying during long-term storage.
In their original packaging, Boveda humidity packets have a two-year shelf life. Depending upon the type of container, they can last anywhere from two months to one year outside of the original packaging. Generally, the packs will protect flower at a precise RH of either 58 or 62 percent for two to six months.
Boveda makes five varieties of its humidity control packs: up to an eighth, up to a half ounce, up to an ounce, up to a pound, and up to five pounds. All Boveda products are equipped with patented technology designed to preserve the chemical compounds in each strain. The saturated salt solution within Boveda creates a monolayer around the trichomes of the flower, acting as a shield to lock in terpenes.
Cultivators can experiment with the necessary amount of packets for different strains and products because there is no such thing as adding too many, according to Boveda. Retailers often prefer products designed for up to a pound and up to five pounds for back-end bulk storage.
Integra Boost
- Weight/capacity: ¼ ounce to 6 pounds
- Opacity: N/A
- Technology: Boost, No-Ox, Integra Dry
Integra Boost offers cultivators two different humidity control packs: the Boost two-way humidity control pack and the Boost Terpene Essentials pack. Both packs are biodegradable and do not release harmful chemicals. There are six different sizes from which to choose, with packs designed for a quarter ounce up to six pounds.
The biggest difference between the two Boost products is their emission content. The Boost Terpene Essentials pack releases botanical terpenes to incorporate flavor and aroma, and the classic Boost emits water vapor. Customers can shop both lines according to their operation’s size and humidity level requirements.
The Terpene Essentials packs are designed to protect the infused terpenes and keep them fresh with Integra’s oxygen absorber technology. The pack regulates humidity to protect cannabis buds and simultaneously releases terpenes to enhance flavor profiles. Whether it’s myrcene, pinene, limonene, or another prominent terpene in cannabis, cultivators can refine the flavor profile of their final product according to their specific end goals.
Cannatrol
- Weight/capacity: up to 2.25 pounds of wet flower per run
- Opacity: solid and windowed
- Technology: Vaportrol
The Cannatrol Cool Cure and large-scale solutions help simplify the post-harvest process from drying to storage with automated environmental control. The Cool Cure is specifically designed for craft cultivators, featuring a glass door that’s easy to monitor, as well as adjustable temperature and dew point which users can define on a simple touch screen.
Cannatrol offers custom commercial units for large-scale businesses. These units can be installed during the initial building process or incorporated into an existing facility space. This helps to keep cannabis storage simple and effective with the ideal temperature and humidity at play.
The Cool Cure can process up to 2.2 pounds of wet bud per cycle and up to four pounds of dried flower in ideal condition. Bud reaches equilibrium in the unit and remains preserved until it is time to consume it. Cannatrol technology removes the need for burping entirely, as it dries, cures, and stores buds in a single space.
Vaportrol, a proprietary technology created by Cannatrol, uses vapor pressure to achieve optimal moisture levels without the need for burping. The versatile and adjustable controlled environment gives cultivators the freedom to precisely define their desired temperature in degrees Fahrenheit and moisture levels throughout the post-harvest process, effectively preserving the potency of final products.
Cannador VaporBeads
- Weight/capacity: Unlisted
- Opacity: N/A
- Technology: US Patent No. 8211209 & 7892327
VaporBeads are a rechargeable bead system that absorbs and releases humidity as needed to maintain optimal moisture levels to store weed properly. The beads are designed to work quickly to regulate the environment, can remain effective after a considerable amount of time, and function as both a weed storage and dry bud revival solution. VaporBeads can last up to two years with continual use. This sustainable product can be revived by dipping the packet into distilled or reverse-osmosis water every few weeks.
After ample use, the frequency at which the beads must be rehydrated will increase and their effectiveness will begin to decline. VaporBeads offers a recycling program for the beads to reduce waste and allow customers to reuse the plastic cases in which the beads are stored.
As long as the rehydrating process is completed diligently, the beads will create an environment with relative humidity levels between 58 and 65 percent. The beads are made of silica with a salt-based solution that acts as both a moisturizer and a desiccant. When the beads interact with water, they wick off moisture at a slower rate compared to other humidifying agents like sponges. The beads are kept inside a plastic case that allows for moisture to move in and out as needed for proper storage.
