September 26, 2023

How to Extend the Shelf Life of Cannabis

Cannabis is readily available in today’s increasingly legal and destigmatized market, which means…well, more weed. Cultivators are producing more, consumers are buying more, and as a result, dispensaries are required to be fully stocked and diverse in their offerings at all times.

With growers working overtime to ensure retail shelves remain flush with supplies, the need for highly-efficient long-term cannabis storage solutions is both present and demanding. Ziplock bags and child-resistant packers just aren’t cutting it in terms of preserving the plant’s integrity throughout the supply chain timeline. With oxygen diffusion, humidity control, and a trustworthy seal, Grove Bags’ TerpLoc packages are uniquely designed to keep high-quality cannabis in near-perfect shape.

Enlisting TerpLoc bags to preserve your flower seems simple enough, but if you don’t utilize the technology properly, you run the risk of tampering with their efficacy and rendering them ineffective. To help you make the best use of your product, we’ve gathered some top tips from our experts in production that you’ll definitely want to keep on hand future use.

8 Tips for extending the cannabis shelf life with Grove Bags

1. Follow the directions

The first and most important tip to follow is straightforward: follow the directions when it comes to drying your cannabis down to a certain RH level. Each TerpLoc bag order comes with easy-to-follow instructions.

The bags’ material allows for a certain amount of moisture variation, but they aren’t magic and water has to go somewhere. You’ll want your package to sit in the sweet spot of 10-12 percent moisture content; if this level isn’t achieved, your nugs are at risk of developing mold. Avoid this by treating the directions like your cannabis storage Bible and always opting for a 10-12-percent moisture zone.

2. Nugs too wet? Sweat ’em out

3. For overly dry nugs, consult the tortilla

Running into the opposite problem? Dry nugs can be regulated with your plant’s fan leaves, an orange peel, or a tortilla. You’ll wrap your nugs in your preferred medium, letting them sit until that moisture meter reads 10-12 percent once again.

4. Don’t overfill your TerpLoc bag

Another thing to keep in mind is how much you fill your TerpLoc bag. You don’t want it to overstuff it. We recommend using up about 75 percent of the package, leaving the remaining 25% as empty headspace that will help maintain the microclimate inside.

The bags are designed with extra room in mind, as some nugs are fluffier than others, but you’ll still want to keep it around 75 percent full at all times. Conversely, you don’t want your bag to be less than 50 percent full, as the relative humidity (RH) control might be weaker as a result.

5. Opt for heat sealing

Each TerpLoc bag comes with a zipper, but for long-term storage, we recommend heat sealing. The moisture meter variation between heat sealing and using a zipper might only be around 2-4 percent, but you’ll definitely be able to smell the difference, and if odor is something you’re trying to conceal, that’s going to matter to you.

If you want to stick with the zipper that’s perfectly fine, but keep in mind that the lifespan of a zipper depends on how well you take care of it. Ours are higher quality than most, but if you’re planning on storing your weed for a long period of time, a heat seal will provide you with a more reliable guarantee of freshness.

6. Be intentional about your storage environment

Another important thing to consider is where you’re keeping your TerpLoc packages. The biggest factor to keep in mind is temperature. If you picture cannabis storage as a gradient, anything above 60 degrees Fahrenheit is in the yellow/orange range, with anything over 70 sliding into the angry red NOPE, and around 50-60 degrees a happy green.

However, this is where things can get complicated. Colder temperatures tend to slow the curing and metabolic process. If you’re an operator not prepared for a longer conversion period, this could affect your timeline for sales and you’ll want to keep that in mind when setting the grow room temperature.

In terms of lighting, we recommend a darker environment. These bags do come with UV protection, so the room doesn’t have to be pitch black, but the darker the better.

7. Humidity doesn’t matter as much as you think it might

While temperature and lighting play a pretty significant role in the bag’s efficacy, humidity surprisingly doesn’t carry as much weight when it comes to making a difference. We don’t recommend storing your stash at 100 percent humidity. However, the bag is engineered for humidity control, so a little variation won’t hurt you.

8. Don’t be afraid to get in touch

Tried all of our tips but still coming across some issues? Just reach out; we don’t bite. Feel free to email support@grovebags.com with any troubleshooting questions, and expect to hear back from us within one business day.