“You have a wine cellar AND a weed cellar? I’ve literally never been more jealous.”
Weed is like wine. Every cannabis strain has a unique flavor profile. Not all strains are grown using the same methods or with the same attention to detail. Some are stronger than others. Even reds and whites have their dank doppelganger in sativa and indica.
And just like wine, many cannabis consumers are passionate about quality and bouquet. They don’t just want to get high… they want to get the right high, and they want to enjoy the experience: the smell, the flavor, how it makes them feel.
Whether you consider yourself a cannabis connoisseur or just like the idea of having a wide selection of your favorite strains, there’s no better (or classier) way than to have your own weed cellar. And setting one up is easy to do on your own and on a budget.
We’ll look at where to set up your cellar, the best containers to store your weed, how much you can store, and a few organization tips so you can always find what you’re looking for.
Setting Up a Weed “Cellar”
Before you can start filling up your weed cellar, you’ll need to find the right location. That means considering all the factors that make a room the ideal marijuana storage space.
Temperature
Storing your cannabis where it’s too hot can dry out the cannabinoids and terpenes that make a strain unique. Not only does this reduce the quality of the high, but it can make for a hotter, harsher smoke. Medium-high temperatures (77°F – 86°F) allow mold and mildew to thrive.
You’ll need a cool, dark space to store your stash. Lower temperatures slow down decarboxylation of cannabinoids, so less THC degrades into CBN. Colder air also holds less moisture, which can make it easier to maintain desired relative humidity.
Basements are popular locations for weed cellars: they minimize unwanted light and maintain a cooler temperature by default, so you don’t have to do as much work to create a stellar flower cellar.
Humidity
Storing cannabis at the appropriate humidity can keep your pot free from mold and mildew while maintaining–or even enhancing–color, aroma, and flavor.
As a general rule, you’ll want to keep your weed cellar between 59-63% relative humidity (RH). If humidity rises too high, it increases the chances of mold. If it’s too low, it could dry out the oils in the bud. Pick up a Hygrometer to measure humidity (0% is the driest).
If you need to raise or lower the humidity in a room, you can purchase a humidifier (or dehumidifier). You can also use humidity control packets to soak up excess moisture.
Lighting
Too much light can degrade your cannabis stash faster than almost any other factor. In the same way your hair might grow lighter or your skin tanner during the summer, the UV rays can damage the cannabinoids and terpenes that give each strain its aroma, flavor, and effects.
To prevent degradation from light, you’ll either need a dark room or opaque containers (or both). So don’t go out and buy glass storage containers until you know where you’ll be setting up your weed cellar.
Oxygen
Speaking of storage containers, whether you go glass or opaque, you’ll need something airtight. And try to use containers that fit the cannabis you’re storing without too much excess space or you’ll be trapping extra oxygen with your bud. You can even vacuum seal your pot if you have the right equipment.
Space
One of the last decisions you’ll need to make is how much space you’ll need, and how your weed cellar will fit into your general living space. Do you want the stash in a bedroom closet or closer to a common room? If you cook with cannabis, you might want to find a spot closer to the kitchen.
Think about how big you want your stash to get. If you have close to 30 strains (or would like to grow to that point), you’ll need enough room to store 30 jars or containers. Alternately, if you’re only going to keep about 8 strains, you might be fine taking over a single shelf or drawer.
What Containers Are Best for Storing Weed?
Proper cannabis storage can preserve cannabinoids and terpenes for up to two years before they start to degrade. While Ziplock bags and the childproof containers you get at the dispensary are simple solutions, they aren’t airtight. Mason jars look good and offer a tight seal, but many are larger than you’ll want for a single gram of cannabis. And if you don’t have a dark room, the glass containers will increase light exposure.
Look for a container with the following features:
- airtight
- opaque (you can use glass if the weed cellar is in a separate, dark room)
- large enough to comfortably fit the stored cannabis
- small enough to limit excess air
Before you hop on Amazon or head to Costco, think about the space you’ll have – how big, how dark, how much weed each will hold, and how much room you’ll have for containers – so you know what size to look for. And consider how many strains you plan on storing so you can determine how much you’ll need to spend.
How to Organize Your Pot
Unless you’re organizing alphabetically, you need to know about the aroma, flavor and effects each strain has to offer. That way you can always find the strain that suits your mood.
You can print an online strain review, or pick up a pack of notecards or a stack of sticky notes and fill one out for each new strain:
- STRAIN NAME
- Sativa/Indica/Hybrid
- % THC, % CBD
- Flavor profile
- Effects
Next, decide how you’ll arrange the strains. Start by separating sativa and indica strains, then further separate by effects or appearance and aroma. Choose a system that works for you, and don’t hesitate to rearrange if you are having trouble finding the strains you want.
Now that you know where and how to store your cannabis, how many strains can you legally store?
How Many Strains Can You Store?
Colorado residents can possess up to one ounce of cannabis at any given time. Here’s what that means for your selection of strains.
| Amount of Weed Per Strain | Number of Strains You Can Store |
| one 1/8th | 8 |
| one gram | 28 |
| one joint (0.5g) | 56 |
Imagine being able to select from more than two dozen strains every time you wanted to smoke. Instead of choosing between indica and sativa – or just settling on whatever strain you happen to have – you could always select a strain with the exact effects and flavor profile you want.
Fill Out Your Weed Cellar
To stock your cellar, you need a dispensary with a wide variety of popular and hard-to-find strains. Because we grow our own cannabis, we’re able to offer our customers a wide selection of top-shelf flower (including many hard-to-find strains) at a great price.
Our North Boulder location offers the lowest marijuana tax rate in the state of Colorado, so you can fill your shelves without emptying your wallet.
You can save even more with our texting program. Receive special offers straight to your phone, and hear about new available strains before anyone else. Not a texter? Sign up for our weekly newsletter and we’ll send coupons and daily deals every Sunday.
Karing Kind is located just off of US-36, one mile north of Broadway, open MON-SUN from 9am to 10pm.
Check our menu and follow us on Twitter for an up-to-date list of edibles, concentrates and buds available.