If you smoke weed, chances are you have a stash of plant stems somewhere in the house. Instead of tossing them, use one of the creative ideas below to transform them into something useful, even spectacular!
Make topicals
Cannabis topicals are fast becoming popular because of their therapeutic properties. With a collection of stems and some basic supplies, you can create your own at home. Simply use a basic cannabis-topical recipe and add your choice of skin-friendly vitamins. You can also add essential oils, such as lavender, peppermint, or eucalyptus.
Extract bubble hash
The term “bubble hash” refers to a solventless hash that is formed by washing the resin off of cannabis plants in ice-cold water. The resin is then filtered through bags, creating a pure, potent hash you can smoke, vaporize, or take in any number of ways. Bubble hash can easily be made from stems, buds, or shake.
Brew tea or hot cocoa
Tea is a popular warm-beverage choice for quick use of weed stems. It can be made with water or with a high-fat liquid such as half-and-half or coconut oil. These will absorb the cannabinoids and allow you to get high. To make cannabis-stem tea, you need to decarboxylate your stems. Next, grind them up and wrap them in a coffee filter or a DIY tea bag. Simmer on low heat for about seven minutes, and then mix it with your favourite tea or cocoa.
Create a pen
If you have left-over stalks from a recent harvest, you can turn them into stem pens that will be the envy of all your blazing buddies. To create a stem pen, you’ll need a drill press, sandpaper, a few fatty stalks, and a basic pen kit, which can be purchased online or at a craft store.
Make a hemp wick
If you want to avoid butane fumes when you are smoking from a pipe, a hemp wick can be a great solution. To make your own hemp wick, strip long stalks or stems using a sharp blade, until you get many stringy, long fibres. Tightly twist the fibers together to form a rope. Next, fold the rope over and twist it again. Dip the twisted fibre in bees’ wax, wipe off any excess, and allow it to dry.
Make kebab skewers
Weed stems make for very tasty kebabs. To start, sharpen the ends of a few long stems and soak them overnight. Then use them to create kebabs with your favourite veggies and meats, and grill them to perfection.
Craft hemp paper
Make your own greeting cards and gift tags using hemp paper. First, soak ground weed stems and paper scraps in water overnight. Then put this concoction in a blender and thoroughly blend, adding water as needed. Pour the resulting pulp evenly onto a screen. (You can easily make a screen by stretching a nylon stocking over a wooden frame.) Let dry. Depending on the thickness and how moist the room is, that should take about 24 hours. For best results, remove the hemp paper from the screen before it’s completely dry.
Weave baskets
You can create homemade baskets from old weed stems. To start, you’ll need to make sure the stems won’t break while you weave. Do this by soaking long stems in water overnight. The next morning, tie a few of the stems together in the middle, using hemp rope. Then use the rest of the stems to weave between the base cannabis stems. Continue until the diameter you desire is reached. Then add more stems in order to stake up the basket, or form the sides.
