Waste Not, Want Not: What to Do with Cannabis Trim

When you’re done trimming your cannabis buds, you’re left with a pile of clippings—fan leaves, sugar leaves, and tiny buds that didn’t make the cut. But don’t toss them out just yet! Your trim contains valuable compounds like THC, CBD, and terpenes that can be used in a variety of ways. From making potent edibles to crafting your own cannabis topicals, here’s how you can get the most out of your cannabis clippings.

1. Make Cannabutter or Cannabis Oil

One of the most popular uses for cannabis trim is making cannabutter or cannabis-infused oil, which can then be used to create a variety of edibles.

• Why It Works: Sugar leaves often contain plenty of cannabinoids, making them perfect for infusing into butter or oil. By decarboxylating your trim first, you activate the THC and CBD, maximizing potency.
• How to Do It: Decarb your trim by spreading it on a baking sheet and heating it at 220°F (105°C) for about 30-40 minutes. Then, simmer the decarbed trim with butter or oil over low heat for a few hours, strain it, and you’ve got your infusion.

For detailed instructions on making cannabutter, oil, and other infusions like honey and syrup, visit our guide here.

Pro Tip: Trim may not be as potent as buds, so use a larger amount to reach the desired strength.

2. Craft Cannabis-Infused Topicals

Your leftover trim can also be used to create homemade topicals, like balms, lotions, and salves.

• Why It Works: THC and CBD have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, making trim-based topicals ideal for soothing sore muscles, joint pain, or skin irritations.
• How to Do It: Start by infusing your trim into coconut oil (following the same process as making cannabutter), then blend it with beeswax and essential oils to create a skin-soothing balm.

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3. Create Dry Sift or Kief

If you’re after pure, potent cannabis concentrate, your trim can be sifted to collect kief—a powdery collection of trichomes that can be added to bowls, and joints, or used to make concentrates.

• Why It Works: Sugar leaves are covered in trichomes, the glandular structures where cannabinoids and terpenes are stored. By dry-sifting, you separate the valuable kief from the plant material.
• How to Do It: Use a dry sift box or kief tumbler to gently sift your trim, collecting the kief at the bottom. This potent product can be used to enhance your smoking experience.

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4. Make Cannabis Tea

Cannabis tea is another simple and effective way to make use of your trim, particularly fan leaves that might not be potent enough for other applications.

• Why It Works: While fan leaves may not be rich in cannabinoids, they still contain beneficial compounds like terpenes and flavonoids, making for a soothing, low-THC tea.
• How to Do It: Steep your trim in hot water with a fat source like coconut oil or milk (to extract the cannabinoids) and enjoy a mild, calming tea.

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5. Extract Full-Spectrum Cannabis Oil (RSO)

If you’re looking for a potent medicinal product, consider using your trim to make Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), a full-spectrum cannabis extract known for its therapeutic properties.

• Why It Works: RSO is typically made from the entire plant, including the trim, capturing a full range of cannabinoids and terpenes.
• How to Do It: The process involves soaking the trim in alcohol, straining it, and evaporating the solvent to leave behind a thick, concentrated oil. This should be done with caution, as it involves flammable materials.

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6. Use Trim to Make Hash

Turn your cannabis trim into hash by using ice water or dry ice to separate the trichomes, a process known as “bubble hash.”

• Why It Works: Hash is a potent concentrate made by isolating the trichomes from the rest of the plant material.
• How to Do It: Combine your trim with ice water in a large bucket, then agitate the mixture. Strain it through micron bags to capture the trichomes, which will be collected as hash once dried.

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7. Compost the Rest

If you’ve already extracted all the cannabinoids from your trim, you can still make good use of the remaining plant material by composting it. Cannabis plants are rich in nutrients and can be composted to feed future crops.

• Why It Works: Composting your cannabis trim turns it into nutrient-rich soil, perfect for your next grow. This is an eco-friendly way to recycle your waste and promote sustainable cultivation.
• How to Do It: Add your trim to your compost pile along with other organic matter like vegetable scraps and yard waste. Over time, it will break down into rich compost.

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