Vacuum Sealing (for curing and storage)

Thinking about getting a vacuum sealer...

wondering if it will help with the cure at all...or more specifically, how it affects the cure...

Once mold is not a factor...I'd assume it would be helpful, no?

no no on vacume bags unless you want flat bud.

vacuum sealing AFTER curing will help preserve the bud but curing requires some oxygen.

I was told that plastic acts like a magnet to trics.

And, will pull them right off your buds.........

I think you would have to make sure that the bud has been properly cured for about 30 days and then you can vacuum and store for a long period of time, you will probably have to leave a bit or air so dont vacuum all the air out completely and then you will be fine for smell too.

thanks everyone...that makes sense...

I think it makes sense. Follow this link.... this product says it can do glass jars as well, and glass is the only way to keep weed long term.

http://www.pump-n-seal.com/

I had this same idea too... To cure in wide mouth mason jars and use the jar attachment to create the vacuum seal. I figure as long as the bud is dry before the cure you shouldn't have much moisture/mold to worry about and if you open them everyday or two like as suggested, you do let the bud breathe. The way I see it, the three main factors in the degradation of the THC are Light, Heat, and Oxygen. Keeping the jars in a cool, dark, place takes care of the first two and I would believe curing in the vacuum would preserve the THC as the buds sweat, solving the last issue. The whole purpose of curing the bud is to draw out any left over internal moisture and gases from drying and to break down chlorophyll/magnesium to smooth out the burn, so I do not see how the vacuum will impact this process. For long term storage I would still vacuum seal the jars and store them in the freezer thus eliminating all three degrading factors. I would love any thoughts on my theory.

jonnygreenjeans said:

I had this same idea too... To cure in wide mouth mason jars and use the jar attachment to create the vacuum seal. I figure as long as the bud is dry before the cure you shouldn't have much moisture/mold to worry about and if you open them everyday or two like as suggested, you do let the bud breathe. The way I see it, the three main factors in the degradation of the THC are Light, Heat, and Oxygen. Keeping the jars in a cool, dark, place takes care of the first two and I would believe curing in the vacuum would preserve the THC as the buds sweat, solving the last issue. The whole purpose of curing the bud is to draw out any left over internal moisture and gases from drying and to break down chlorophyll/magnesium to smooth out the burn, so I do not see how the vacuum will impact this process. For long term storage I would still vacuum seal the jars and store them in the freezer thus eliminating all three degrading factors. I would love any thoughts on my theory.

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I wouldnt freeze the jars as it will freeze the trich heads and cause them to fall off the buds, unless your gonna make qiso with that jar you will end up with the jar covered in trichs on inside and hardly any left on buds lol

super2200 said:

I wouldnt freeze the jars as it will freeze the trich heads and cause them to fall off the buds, unless your gonna make qiso with that jar you will end up with the jar covered in trichs on inside and hardly any left on buds lol

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Well that kind of didn't address my comment lol. Although I do agree about the freezing bud becoming brittle, I believe that has a negligible effect. During long term storage the jars wouldn't be moved nor would the bud be agitated much. Even if the trichomes do fall off of the bud, they will be caught at the bottom of the jar. Also, what is on the outside of the bud is a fraction of the total THC that bud contains, so even then you will still get high if you smoke it. So back to what I originally wanted to know is if vacuum sealing during curing impacts the process?

jonnygreenjeans said:

Well that kind of didn't address my comment lol. Although I do agree about the freezing bud becoming brittle, I believe that has a negligible effect. During long term storage the jars wouldn't be moved nor would the bud be agitated much. Even if the trichomes do fall off of the bud, they will be caught at the bottom of the jar. Also, what is on the outside of the bud is a fraction of the total THC that bud contains, so even then you will still get high if you smoke it. So back to what I originally wanted to know is if vacuum sealing during curing impacts the process?

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looking for the same answer myself...

desertrat said:

vacuum sealing AFTER curing will help preserve the bud but curing requires some oxygen.

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This is the correct answer.

Hidden Dragon said:

This is the correct answer.

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I'm just wondering what your references where that led you to this conclusion that oxygen is needed for curing

Vacuum sealing will degrade your herb. The pressure change can negatively effect trichomes, removes desired aroma/taste elements, and pulls too much moisture out of your herb.

I tried this with one of my very first harvests and all the trichs stuck to the plastic, flat buds, ext...
Only do it in glass.

Air is a necessary part of the curing process; no air, no cure. Little air, slow-er cure. I use a vacuum sealer for this exact reason. Once the product reaches its maximum appeal, I suck all the air out of the containers. FWIW, replacing the air with Nitrogen will effectively stop the cure and preserve the product as it sits. It's a great way to store long term, albeit not inexpensive. Maybe one day....

Edit: As mentioned, vacuum sealing the product in a bag will flatten it. Not good. Three ways to get around it:

1. Store in a jar and use a lid attachment to seal.
2. Visit Walmart/Target/etc and look for plastic "tubs" with slotted sides. They can often be found in the kitchen section. Use a pair for each sealed bag; the product is placed inside the bottom tub with the other covering the top, air is sucked out with the containers forming a protective box of sorts around the bud.
3. The belt and suspenders approach - seal inside a jar and then seal the jar inside a bag. (That's what I do with some of the bud I've been curing for 5+ years.)

Simon

I have been vacuum sealing in jars for years and growing my own weed for 40 years. I lived in OK and kept my jars buried about a foot deep. When I'd run low, I'd dig one up. I had missed placed some for more than two years, and when I found them, they were as fresh as the first day. Last year I thought I had dried my buds too much. But while in a vacuum they evened out, from what little moisture was left in the stems. All the trics stay nice and shiny … For me, vacuum sealing in jars is the absolute best way to keep your pot.

Happy trails….

I did a little research on curing. I have been vacuum sealing in mason jars for years. You can vacuum the chlorophil out of the plant. I dried for about 4 days and then bagged the buds. You have to trim them up good and make a long bag about 3 feet. You put the buds inside gallon ziplocs that you have put about 100 plus holes in each one. The ziploc bags keep the stem tips from puncturing your vacuum bags. You vacuum it all out and then remove the buds the next day. Lay them on a tray for a few minutes and put them back in repeating this for the week. It will make your buds super tight and compact. If you grow enough to play with this you will love it. if you only grow a little then use jars only. But if you compact it first it makes dispensary buds as we call them. If i buried what i smoked I would need a backhoe lol

I find that different plastics attract and cling to trichomes differently. For example, my (non-scientific) observation is lower density plastic, like "ziplock" bags attract resin like a magnet -- whereas the higher density bags like "turkey roaster bags" do not seem to have the same level of resin cling. Heat sealed bu not vacuumed Mylar bags, with a Boveda 62% humidity pack works the best for me.

I just bought a Food Saver myself. I have an really large harvest, and I don't have a place for hundreds of jars. I am curing some in jars, and all will eventually get vacuum sealed , but not to the point of making a hard bumpy package from the nugs, but enough to make the bags stackable and storable.