10 ideas to use leftover seeds and stems of Ganja

If there’s one thing every stoner seems to have, it’s a stock-pile of stems left over from buds gone by. Rather than waste, any part of the plant, many of us hangs onto them in hopes of finding the perfect use for left-over marijuana stems. The cannabis plant is incredibly versatile. Here are 10 ideas to use leftover seeds and stems of Ganja.

Smoking

The simplest solution, and least recommended, is to grind your stems up and smoke them. This is always super harsh and contains many unwanted compounds from the burning cellulose in the hurds. This cellulose also makes stems burn extremely hot. Hot enough to burn your throat and lungs. Again, this is not recommended, so please be careful. Very few people do this, but for some reason, some do.

Brew Tea 

Tea is a popular choice for a quick use of stems. It can be made with water (for flavour only) or a high-fat liquid like coconut oil or half-and-half (which will absorb the cannabinoids so you can get high). To make stem tea, decarboxylate your stems then grind them and wrap in a coffee filter/DIY tea bag. Simmer on low heat for a minimum of seven minutes then mix with your favourite tea or hot cocoa.

Marijuana liqueurs

Whiskeys, vodkas or tequilas that are 40% proof or more can all dissolve the resin of cannabis. Decant your chosen alcohol into a mason jar for easy adding of new and straining of old stems. By the time another handful of stems is ready to add the old ones have given up their treasures to the mix. This little project may take a few months and a few handfuls of stems for strengths to build.

THC butter and other edibles

If you can half fill a large saucepan with broken down stems, then THC-infused butter or oil is on the menu. Replacing stems for buds in this cannabutter recipe will produce a similar product, but with a much milder effect. Where the recipe suggests "28g of flowers," replace with "as many chopped stems as possible". Using your butter or oil in culinary creations will add a nice buzz to any course.

Craft hemp paper

Make your own holiday cards and gift tags with hemp paper. To make it, soak ground cannabis stems and paper scraps in water overnight. After soaking, add the paper/stem soak to a blender and blend thoroughly (adding water as needed). Next, pour the pulp evenly onto a screen, or “deckle” (make your own by stretching a pair of nylon stockings over a wooden frame), then allow it to dry. Depending on the thickness of the paper and moisture of the room, this should take about 24 hours. For best results, remove the hemp paper from the deckle before it is completely dry.

Arts and crafts

Cannabis has been used throughout history for many other things than just smoking. The first true papers were made from cannabis the long fibres being almost infinitely recyclable. The best quality canvas was made from cannabis as were innumerable other textiles. Stems and stalks can be sources of interesting textures and fibres for home arts and crafts.

Stem bubble hash

As with kief, resin glands are more easily liberated when they are frozen. When you have enough stems to fill a blender you can make some bubble hash. Combine in equal parts cold water, ice and a proportion of your stems and blend until you have a fluffy green stem frappe. Repeat until all stems are mashed. After following the bubble hash recipe, but replacing the stem with other green you will have a tasty little chunk of damp hash ready to dry and consume.

Stem kief

Keep your stem stash in the freezer. Chop or break your stems into small bits and store in a heavy plastic bag. Every time you add to your collection give it a good shake. Well, frozen resin crystals easily break off surfaces when they are fully frozen. You will watch with patient excitement as a subtle layer of liberated kief accumulates in the bottom of the bag.

Make your own tropical

Marijuana topicals are becoming increasingly popular thanks to their amazing therapeutic potential. With a few stems and basic supplies, you can make your own at home. Just use a basic marijuana topical recipe, then add your choice of skin-friendly vitamins and essential oils. Peppermint, eucalyptus and lavender, for example, are excellent pain relievers, too.

Turn them into Kabobs skewers 

Marijuana stems make for some very tasty kabobs. To use them, sharpen the end of a few long stems then soak overnight. Once prepared, use the cannabis skewers to make kabobs out of your favourite meats and veggies then grill to perfection.