How To Reuse Cannabis Stems

Once you’ve harvested your plants and trimmed your flowers, you may be wondering what to do with all of the stems that have been left behind. Sure, you could throw them onto the compost pile to return the nutrients to your garden, but they have so many other uses that they’re worth holding on to. Every part of the cannabis plant has a use, which is precisely why it’s been an industrial crop for so long. At first glance, stems might seem like a bit of a waste product, but wait until you see what you can do with them. Stems contain small amounts of resin, and therefore, THC. Check out the ideas below for some inspiration.

USE YOUR STEMS TO MAKE SOME TEA

After a hard few hours of harvesting and trimming, one of the best things you can do to relax is treat yourself to a fresh cup of tea. Before doing this, you’ll need to decarboxylate your stems just like you would when making edibles or extracts with bud. This process converts non-psychotropic THCA into active THC via heat. To do this, preheat the oven to 110°C and scatter your stems over a baking tray. Place them in the oven for 1 hour.

Your once dormant stems are now active, and it’s time to make some tea. Slice your stems into small pieces and add them to a saucepan with some water and full-fat milk. THC is lipophilic, meaning it likes to bind to fat. Bring the mixture to a light boil for 10 minutes, then strain it through a sieve. Add honey, stevia, or sugar to taste.

MAKE SOME CANNABUTTER

Cannabutter is a classic extract that is a staple for almost all edibles. There’s enough resin in weed stems to make a batch that can be used to bake cookies, brownies, and cakes that offer a psychoactive punch. To begin, decarb your stems using the method mentioned above. To make cannabutter using stems, you’ll need 1 part butter to 1 part stems in weight. When you have your ingredients prepared, begin by melting the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and then drop in the stems. Let the mix simmer for up to 30 minutes. Strain the cannabinoid-infused butter and place it in the fridge to set.

MAKE SOME BUBBLE HASH

Bubble hash is an extract that uses water to wash off resin from buds, but it’s just as effective when using stems. This extract provides a smooth and often euphoric high, and is a far better use for stems than throwing them away. The easiest way to make bubble hash is to use a specialised hand washing machine, although you can simply use a spoon or spatula to mix if you don’t have one of these. You’ll also need around 3kg of ice.

If you’re using a machine, layer it with an open micron bag and add one third of the ice. Place the stems on top of the ice, then add another one third of the ice on top and close the bag. Place the remaining one third of ice around the bag and close the machine.

Fill the machine with water up to the water mark, and begin a 12-minute cycle. Once complete, let the bag rest for another 10 minutes. Now, grab a bucket and strain the water through 3 micron bags (or specialised bubble bags), layering the largest micron size on top and the smallest on the bottom. Scrape up the collected bubble hash from each layer. Crush the hash up using a spoon and let it air-dry. Once dry, use a hash press to form your bubble hash into the shape of a coin for an end product that is pleasing to the eye.

OR MAKE SOME STEM HASH OIL INSTEAD

Stem hash is a neat little extract to add to joints and blunts for an added kick. Begin by decarbing the stems and grinding them up into a fine powder. Add the powder to a glass jar along with enough 99% isopropyl alcohol to cover it. Attach the lid and shake well for 2 minutes; strain right away. Pour the liquid into a glass bowl and place in a well ventilated space to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

MAKE YOUR OWN SKIN PRODUCTS

Depending on the strain used, the resin from the stems will contain small amounts of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids. These molecules can be infused into oils and applied to the skin to activate the endocannabinoid system, which plays a major role in various skin processes. Simply heat your stem in an oil of your choice (coconut oil works well) and then strain. You can really get creative here by adding other herbs to the mix to tailor the scent and skin-nourishing properties to your preferences.

CRAFT SOME STEM BOOZE

Stems can be used to add a small amount of cannabinoids and some intriguing colours to your booze stash. Add stems to a bottle of vodka, whiskey, or anything that contains over 40% alcohol. Let this sit for a few weeks and you’ll have a resin-infused bottle with an impressive green colour to enjoy with friends.

MAKE YOUR OWN PAPER TO RELIVE HISTORY

Hemp has been used as an industrial crop for centuries, including in the creation of paper products. This act can be recreated at home using stems. Blend them up with equal parts recycled newspaper or office paper, and add enough water to allow the contents to mix well. When the stems and paper have become a smooth pulp, pour the mix out evenly onto a deckle. To make a deckle, stretch out some tights over a mesh screen that is raised above the ground. Let your paper drain and dry out on the deckle for at least a day before hanging it up to dry fully.