Yes we all know which part of the weed plant has our attention. It is of course those pop out buds which glisten like crown jewels when it comes to harvest time. But what about the rest of the plant? Here are 5 things to do with your cannabis trim once you have harvested your marijuana plants.
Why don’t growers make better use of their trim? It is a significant proportion of the plant after all and if we are aiming for zero waste in other areas of our life, why not try to do the same with marijuana? So in this article on things to do with cannabis trim, we consider what you can do with raw leaves in order to make garnishes and infusions and what you can do to unlock the THC content through the process of decarboxylation.
1) Use raw cannabis trim in salads and smoothies
Will it get you high? No, but it will add a distinctive cannabis taste to whatever you mix the leaves to and contribute to your five a day! Popular uses for raw trim leaves include as part of a salad and not only do they add taste, but they look amazing and will be sure to bring in those insta likes! Another way of using leaves is to harness the health benefits of the cannabis plant’s rich cannabinoid profile (and the terpenes found in trichome dusted sugar leaves) is to add them to an invigorating smoothie mix. You can also cook with them too - for example Thai cooking has over 30 recipes which include cannabis leaf, which is used a bit like a herb.
2) How to make cannabis trim tea
Will it get you high? No, but it will bring the benefits of cannabinoids such as THCA (not psychoactive) and CBDA as well as tasting great. For this, as with all make-your-own herbal teas, you will need a cloth tea bag or a tea infuser so that you can steep your herbal mix in hot water to make a tisane. Grind up your trim leaves and add to black tea leaves and other herbal extracts (such as lavender or ginger). Place the mix in the bag or infuser and just add hot water!
3) Decarboxylate weed trim to make cannabis coconut oil
Aside from turning cannabis leaves into smoothies (or hash!), the next best way to maximize THC is to decarboxylate your weed trim. Once this has been done it can be used to make oil which can be used for making topical creams and edibles. We’re talking about making the most of your trim waste in this article, but obviously going through this process with buds/flowers will produce a higher THC content end product.
Heating up the plant matter in the oven will turn THCA into THC – essentially flicking the switch from ‘non-high’ to ‘high’ effect! However, the decarboxylation process will make your kitchen smell like the grow room for a while, so you may want to do some tactical planning before you start.
Place the trim on a sheet of baking paper, focusing on the smaller trichome rich leaves, and add to a baking tray. For trim from THC strains, heat the oven to 110° C and place the tray inside for approximately 30 minutes. Once your trim has been decarboxylated in the oven, grind it down (not too small) and then add it to coconut oil – 1 cup of trim to 1 cup of oil. Slow cook the mixture in a saucepan – a slow cooker is even better - for between 2 – 3 hours on a low heat (DO NOT OVERHEAT!). Strain the mixture into a clean jar and allow to cool.
4) Make a topical cannabis cream
Using the cannabis coconut oil as a the raw ingredient, you can add beeswax (or a vegan alternative such as soy wax), olive oil and some drops of essential oils, to create your own topical cannabis cream which has been linked to benefits for conditions such as eczema and irritated skin, muscle aches, sore joints and arthritis.
A basic recipe uses 1/3 of a cup of wax, 1.5 cups of infused coconut oil and 1/3 of olive oil. First heat the wax until melted and then, on a low heat, add the cannabis coconut oil and olive oil (and also drops of essential oils if you wish). Once it is stirred in, turn off the heat and pour into clean jars, where it will set and soon be ready for use.
6) Use weed trim to bake a cake!
Cannabis coconut oil, produced from weed trim, can be used as a vegan alternative base ingredient for baking a whole range of cannabis infused edibles. It’s not just for cakes and cookies, you can use it for any recipe which requires oil, and even add it to your coffee as a little morning treat which will give you an extra glow through the day…!