What To Do With Weed Stems: Get High, Relaxed, Or… Crafty!
After you’ve trimmed your cannabis plants of its buds, you’re left with a bunch of stems and stalks. However, these parts are not completely useless and could be worth saving. Before you think of throwing them away, read ahead and see how you can upcycle your cannabis stems.
If you’re wondering what to do with marijuana stems, one of the best uses for them is to add them to your favorite foods and drinks.
Have A Cup Of Tea
One of the most common uses of cannabis stems is to make weed stem tea. You can let your stems seep in hot water for 24 hours if you want just the flavor of stems, but for something more potent, you will first need to decarb your weed stems, then simmer them in milk or butter before adding them to the tea of your choice.
Make Stem-Infused Alcohol
You can also use your cannabis stems to make an alcoholic beverage known as “Green Dragon”. Simply fill a mason jar with stems to the brim and add a high-proof alcohol, such as whiskey, tequila or vodka. Store your jar in a dark, cool place for at least a week, shaking once a day to disperse the stems evenly. Filter your liquid through a strainer upon serving, but take it slow – your drink could be quite potent!
Simple Cannabutter With Stems
If you’re wondering how else to use weed stems, cook them into cannabis-infused butter just like any other type of bud. Grind your stems in a food processor, but not too finely so that it’s still easy to strain out later. Simmer the stems and butter together with water in a saucepan for at least 45 minutes (3-4 hours for best results). Let your butter solidify, then store for later use in all your favorite dishes. For the full guide with ingredients and directions, check out our article.
How To Get High Using Leftover Stems
If you want to use your stems to get high, you’ll need a large amount of them, as stems are very low in THC. The recommended minimum for many of these recipes would be about 10 grams.
Make Your Own Hash Oil With Stems
If you’re looking to get high off your stems, try making something more potent like hash oil. Fill an entire mason jar with finely-ground stems and add 90% isopropyl alcohol, then shake the jar for 2-3 minutes. Strain the liquid through a silk or coffee filter and scrape off the leftover resin. Make sure the alcohol is fully evaporated before adding your hash oil to your next bowl, joint or meal.
Simple Stem Bubble Hash
You can also use your cannabis stems to make a batch of bubble hash! Add equal parts cold water, ice and stems to a blender and frappe until you have a light, fluffy mixture. Repeat this process until all stems have been mixed. Sift into a jar, let the trichomes separate from the ice water mixture, then dump the water. Repeat this process 4-5 times, and finish by sifting the remaining stem-ice water mixture through a coffee filter. Let dry and use as you wish!
Extract Charas From Your Stems
You can also extract charas from your weed stems and other trimmings. Charas, sometimes referred to as “finger hash”, is a popular extract in Nepal and India, and very easy to obtain. Simply rub your stems in your hands thoroughly, being sure not to miss any crevices, to extract the resin from your stems. A thick coating should appear on your hands; scrape this off and it’s ready to use!
Get Crafty: Further Uses For Stems
You’ve eaten your stems, you’ve gotten high from them, but what else can you do with this part of marijuana? Here are some more creative ways to use your stems.
Work With Your Hands: Crafting With Stems
Stems can also be used for an array of arts and crafts. You can use fibers from larger branches to make twine or weave baskets. Use shorter stems to weave your own filters or screens for your glassware. You can also grind your stems into a fine powder with recycled paper and add water to make a paste. Lay out this paste on a deckle and let it dry – now you have your own recycled stem paper!
Making Stem Topicals
If you still have some stems left, use them to make a nice topical cream for nourishing and moisturizing your skin. To make the base for any topical, melt 1 ½ cups (324 grams) of coconut oil and simmer with stems for 20 minutes. Strain the stems from this mixture and combine with ⅓ cup (68 grams) of melted beeswax. Add essential oil of your choosing for added flavor and let the mixture solidify completely before application.
Upcycling Done Right
The next time you harvest one of your plants, think twice about disposing of its stems. As you can see, there are many uses for cannabis stems to ensure that every bit of your precious plant is put to good use.
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