What To Do With Your Cannabis Trimmings

A successful cannabis harvest can lead to a lot of leftover plant matter. Most of the cannabis plant can be reused in a variety of creative ways. Read on to learn how to get the most out of your harvest.

What’s “trim” and why should you keep it?

Trim is the collection of pot leaves most growers discard as they’re trimming their bud. Trim still holds some of the terpene- and cannabinoid-filled trichomes that make marijuana flower so popular. With a little research and patience, you can turn your leftover trim into THC-infused topicals, edibles, extracts, and kief, among other things.

Not sure where to start? The suggestions below will give you plenty of ideas.

Extracts

Rosin is a potent form of cannabis concentrate that can be dabbed, vaped, added to joints, or mixed into your bowl. If you have access to a rosin press, it’s an easy way to process your trim.

Rosin presses can be a bit expensive if you don’t already have one, though. If you don’t want to drop the cash for a press, you can also make your own rosin dabs at home a little more cheaply by using a hair straightener and parchment paper.

Edibles

Edibles are great for people who want to experience the effects of cannabis without having to smoke it. Trim can be made into edibles by processing it into cannabutter or cannabis oil. Both can be used as a substitute for regular butter or cooking oil in your favorite recipes.

To get started making cannabutter, you first have to decarboxylate your trim to activate the THC and ensure your edibles’ potency. Afterwards, you cook your trim with butter and water and let it simmer for 2-3 hours. Then, you’ll have to strain it with a cheesecloth into the container of your choice and let it refrigerate for 24 hours. This will allow the cannabutter to separate from any leftover water. Dump the water and then use the cannabutter left behind in the recipe of your choice. Check out our tutorial on making cannabis infused butter and alcohol.

Topicals

Topicals are a popular way for people who need more direct pain relief. To make your own topicals, start by decarbing your cannabis, then grind it into a superfine powder. You can even make the topical a little more personal and special by mixing in your favorite essential oils. Then, cook these ingredients together for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Bubble Hash

Bubble hash is a fantastic option if you want to get the best use out of your trim. The process is pretty simple and involves freezing the trichomes off your trim. Once the resin glands are frozen, they can be removed from the trim and cured to make some potent bubble hash. All you need is your trim, ice water, buckets, and micron bags designed for bubble hash production. Then you can enjoy some sweet, homemade bubble hash.

Kief

Kief is the collection of crystal-like resin trichomes that form on marijuana leaves and buds. Kief can produce a pretty intense high as it’s practically cannabinoid-filled powder.

Making kief is a simple process. More expensive trimming machines actually collect kief automatically, and some have kief kits you can purchase separately. If you don’t have either of those, gather your trim and rub it across a silk screen. As you’re doing that, you’ll see the kief fall through. You can also purchase a dry sift tumbler to for an easier, more automatic process.

Now, go forth knowing you never have to waste a single leaf of your harvest again!

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