Vacuum Sealing Weed: The Best Way to Keep Buds Fresh

Every grower wants their buds to last longer, and vacuum sealing is the best way to pull it off: it removes the oxygen, keeps moisture and mold out and holds on to terpenes for much longer if you store the bag at 15 to 18 °C (59 to 64 °F). The goal is for every bud to keep that fresh terpene flavor you get the first time you open a bag. Smoking poorly stored cannabis can leave you with headaches, a cough or drowsiness, which is what happens when the THC molecule breaks down into CBN (cannabinol).

If you tend to buy weed in bulk, or you don't smoke very often, you've probably got a whole lot of old buds on your hands.

What's the Best Bag to Store Weed In?

When it comes to storing weed, vacuum sealing is the way to go. An airtight seal is ideal because the less your weed is exposed to air, the fresher and stronger it stays. Keeping air away stops the terpenes from drying out and keeps the trichomes on the buds.

Vacuum-sealed flower is much less likely to pick up moisture, which can lead to mold and wreck the harvest you waited so long for. Ideally, keep vacuum-sealed weed somewhere cool where the temperature stays under 23 °C (73 °F), so the cannabinoids and terpenes don't dry out.

Keeping your buds in an airtight jar, somewhere cool, dark and safe from humidity, is enough to keep them in great shape. But if you want your buds in the best possible condition and plan to store them for a long time, vacuum sealing is the best option.

Vacuum-Sealed Weed: Why Is It the Best Method?

Vacuum sealing is a popular packaging method in the food industry. It works by sucking the air out of the package and sealing it shut. The idea is to get rid of the oxygen in a container to extend the shelf life of whatever's inside. Sealing your cannabis, sativa or indica, is a smart move because the process removes oxygen and stops volatile compounds from evaporating. It also slows the growth of bacteria that ruin weed. By storing your cannabis in a sealed bag away from sunlight, you make sure it stays almost unchanged for years.

How Do You Vacuum Seal Weed?

To vacuum seal buds, you need vacuum bags, a device that sucks the air out of them (a vacuum sealer) and, of course, weed. There are lots of vacuum sealer models out there, but what matters is that it pulls out all the air and then seals the bag so no oxygen gets in. The process goes like this: put the weed in the bag, feed the bag into the machine, let it extract the air and finally heat-seal one end. Vacuum sealers handle the whole thing.

Because the sealer sucks out the air, vacuum-packed buds can get over-compressed or "squished." There are two schools of thought on this. The first says compressed vacuum-sealed cannabis (also called pressed bud) smokes exactly like freshly harvested flower, so you still have buds ready to smoke and the only difference is how they look.

Some growers, though, would rather their buds look good. Either way, if they came out squished, once you open the vacuum bag you can keep them in a glass jar for a few days with a humidity pack so they rehydrate and get their shape back.

Sealed Flower: A Few Tips

Whatever method you use to store cannabis, keep this in mind: temperatures above 29 °C (84 °F) dry out all the cannabinoids and terpenes. On the other hand, low temperatures slow down decarboxylation and damage the trichomes. The best way to keep your weed fresh is to store it between 15 and 18 °C (59 and 64 °F), if you can.

When humidity is too high, mold has a much better shot at growing, so storing cannabis somewhere cool and dry is a must. UV rays from the sun easily damage buds and interfere with how the herb affects your body. Dark spots are best.

How Long Does Weed Last in a Bag?

Vacuum sealing keeps buds fresh and tasty for a long time. It's hands down the best container method for stored weed, since it cuts the amount of air in the bag once it's sealed airtight, which makes it last much longer.

Other Methods

Besides classic glass jars, there are other options, like storing your buds in airtight glass jars such as Tight Vac, which let you fill the container, close it and create a vacuum so no smell gets out and your flowers keep their aroma, flavor and effect. The great thing about these containers is that they come in a huge range of sizes.

Another popular way to store weed is in vacuum-sealed plastic bags: no smell escapes and the plant material or extract keeps beautifully. There are several kinds of machines for pulling a vacuum inside the bags, from handy budget models to more professional options.

Can You Freeze Weed?

A really good option is to freeze your buds once they hit your preferred level of drying or curing, so they hold on to their properties for much longer.

To do it, pack them in jars or bags and put them in the freezer. For extra protection, you can even put an airtight jar inside a vacuum bag and seal it. When it's time to thaw, don't rush it: let the weed come up to room temperature for a few hours before opening the jars or bags. Once they're open, do the same thing again and leave the buds for a few hours at room temperature and humidity before using them.