How To Use Weed Stems: 7 Creative Uses
How To Use Weed Stems: 7 Creative Uses
Here are seven reasons you should never throw away your cannabis stems.
Cannabis stems have plenty of uses and are used worldwide for various benefits.
If you are throwing out your stems, you are seriously missing out.
Honor the plant, reduce waste, and get the most out of your cannabis by putting your weed stems to good use.
Let’s dive in!
#1 How To Use Weed Stems: Make A Cannabis Stem Tea
Enjoy a cup of hot cannabis stem tea to unwind after a hard day.
Making a cannabis stem tea infusion is one of the easiest and quickest ways to use your cannabis stems.
- You will need to decarboxylate the stems before use. This means you’ll have to heat them in an oven to at least 150 degrees F for about 10 minutes. Be sure not to let them burn!
- Next, take your decarboxylated stems and place them in a tea bag or coffee filter.
- Bring some water to a boil.
- Finally, seep the stems in the boiling water for seven to ten minutes and serve.Â
Add coconut oil or another high-fat liquid to your tea for maximum cannabinoid absorption.
#2 Make A Cannabis Stem Tincture
Cannabis stem tinctures are an excellent way to use your leftover stems. In fact, this is an easy way to make a super potent cannabis tincture.
Cannabis tinctures are convenient because you can get the benefits of cannabis without smoking it. This makes tinctures great for public use or in other situations where it’s best to be discreet.Â
All you need is a mason jar and high-percentage grain alcohol like Everclear. However, vodka works just fine too.
- The first step is to fill the mason jar with your leftover stems. Make sure the jar is filled to the top with stems in order to make a potent tincture.
- Top it off with alcohol and make sure all the stems are completely covered with alcohol.
- Then, store it in a dark, cool place.
- Be sure to shake the jar every day for at least a week. A week is sufficient for the alcohol to extract some of the cannabinoids. However, the longer you let it sit, the more potent the extraction will be.
- When you are ready and feel your tincture is potent enough, strain the mixture and remove the excess plant matter.Â
- Compost the extracted stems, store the liquid in a cool dark place, and enjoy!
Add your tincture to your tea in the morning, or take it by itself. This is an excellent way to use your stems and use all parts of the cannabis plant.
#3 Make Cannabis Stem Butter
Ever heard of cannabutter?
Stem butter is very similar to cannabutter. However, it is not made with cannabis flower but rather with stems.Â
To make stem butter, you will need at least ¼ oz stems or more.
- In a food processor, grind the stems and then add them to a saucepan of butter.
- Let the mixture simmer on low heat for 45 minutes or until the stems turn golden.
- The next step is to strain the mixture.
- You can either store the butter in the refrigerator or immediately serve it.
Remember, stem butter is going to be less potent than regular cannabutter.
Some THC and other cannabinoids are found in stems. However, it’s not as strong as trim or flowers.
Do not expect to experience strong psychoactive effects. Stem butter harnesses more of the subtle medicinal benefits of cannabis, from minor cannabinoids to terpenes and other phytonutrients.
Stem butter can be used to make milder cannabis-infused dishes.
#4 How To Use Weed Stems: Make Your Own Cannabis Stem Paper
Bet you’ve never heard of this one! This is just another example of how versatile cannabis stems are and the many uses and applications it has.Â
Making cannabis stem paper is a very creative way to use your stems. If you are not interested in creating a tincture, tea, or stem butter, make your own cannabis paper!
Additionally, making your own stem paper can reduce paper waste. It is also a creative and eco-friendly way to utilize all parts of your cannabis.
It’s also relatively easy to make!
You will need a blender, paper scraps, and a deckle.Â
- Combine your paper scraps and ground cannabis stems in a blender.
- Mix in enough water to evenly blend the mixture. However, be sure not to dilute it too much, as this will result in your paper falling apart.
- Furthermore, blend only until you notice the fibers separating.
- Next, pour the mixture on a deckle, a flat surface suitable for making paper.
- Finally, let the mixture sit for 24 hours before use.Â
Even though making a deckle may be the most challenging part of papermaking, it’s not that difficult!
The easiest way to make a deckle is to stretch nylon stockings over a wood frame.
#5 How To Use Weed Stems: Cannabis Stem Hash Oil
Hash oil is trendy in the cannabis community. In fact, it’s one of the oldest uses of cannabis in the world.
It just so happens that it is pretty easy to convert cannabis stems into hash oil.
- The first step is grinding the stems until they are a fine consistency.
- Then, add the ground stems into a mason jar. To extract the cannabinoids, it is best to use high-proof alcohol.
- Proceed t shake the mixture for 2-3 minutes.
- Then, strain the liquid with a coffee filter or a sieve.
- Finally, remove any remaining resin and ensure that any remaining alcohol is completely evaporated before use.
- To effectively evaporate the alcohol, you can use a double boiler or let the mixture sit out for a few days. If you go the double boiler route, be sure you are not using a gas stove, as this can be very dangerous. Also, make sure you have adequate ventilation.
You will know when to remove the double boiler from the heat once the alcohol has evaporated, leaving you with a thick and resiny substance.
Stem resin is going to be more potent than regular flower. Resins are generally more powerful overall.
There you have it! Hash oil for cooking, consuming, or topical use (although this will be pretty sticky).
#6 How To Use Weed Stems: Cannabis Stem Hemp Wick
Hemp wick is very popular with health-conscious consumers of cannabis who want to avoid the harmful butane flames that are a byproduct of lighters.
However, did you know that you can make your own DIY hemp wick from your leftover weed stems?
The process is relatively easy and only takes a few moments at most.Â
- Strip your longest cannabis stems down to their fibers.
- Then, twist these fibers into a rope formation.
- Finally, dip the rope in beeswax.
There you go! Your own DIY hemp wick that you can use as an excellent alternative to lighters and butane.Â
#7 Make Your Own Cannabis Stem Topicals
Typical lotions and creams are filled with toxic additives and chemicals that actually hurt your body in the long run.Â
Spare yourself the many side effects of using toxic chemicals and swap these out for natural, holistic cannabis topicals.Â
Homemade topicals are the best options for genuinely nurturing and caring for your skin. You have complete control over the inputs used in making the topical and have complete freedom to customize your topical as you wish.Â
A good rule and standard to live by when it comes to topicals are if you wouldn’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and everything you put on it eventually ends up in your bloodstream.Â
So, stick with natural and organic, chemical-free topicals that you wouldn’t mind eating! At the end of the day, your skin absorbs it the same way as if you swallowed a spoonful of it.
All you need is a lipid-carrier oil like coconut oil, olive oil, or beeswax to get started.Â
Make an infusion by adding the dried stems into a mason jar and completely cover the stems with oil. Let sit for a few weeks, and you will have a potent topical cannabis infusion.Â
Then, you can customize it by adding any other botanicals or essential oils that you like. Then you can make it into a salve or body butter or whatever you prefer! Or use the oil on its own; it has multiple benefits just in its oil form.Â
Interested in growing your own cannabis or getting a foot in the door in the cannabis industry?
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Image credit: The Chill Bud, and Merry Jane.
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