CBD UK – WHAT TO DO WITH CANNABIS LEAVES FOR A 100% SUSTAINABLE CULTURE?
Nothing is thrown away from the cannabis plant! This plant is a gift from mother nature that should definitely not be wasted. Have you ever wondered how to use marijuana leaves? Did you know that these too contain cannabinoids and other nutritious and beneficial substances? This plant, from which the precious inflorescences are obtained, is a 100% sustainable vegetable, in this article we will focus on how to use a less noble part: its leaves.
If you are interested in making the most of the potential of your cannabis plant, we suggest you delve into the hidden potential of leaves and stems. In this article we have already explained how it is possible to eat raw flowers and leaves, while now we will be delighted to give you a range of different options so as not to throw the leaves of the plant you are caring for with so much love in the bin once the flowers are harvested.
Anyone who is familiar with cannabis cultivation knows that at the end of the pruning phase a good amount of “waste” material is collected. It would be very nice if all of us committed ourselves to do something useful with these prunings, because it is enough to inform yourself better to discover that there are so many ways to not waste cut leaves.
CBD UK: How to recognize the leaves richest in cannabinoids
The first thing to know is that there are some parts of the plant (besides the inflorescences) that are very rich in cannabinoids. These are those that in English are called “sugar leaves”, small leaves that arise near the inflorescences that are very rich in trichomes and are definitely worthy of being used as you like, they can be smoked or used to make extracts or edibles. The largest fan leaves are equipped with less concentrated substances but they do not have to be thrown in the bin. Indeed, they have a lot of potential, especially on a nutritional level.
CBD UK: Cannabis drinks made from the leaves
We have already talked about it in this article, with cannabis flowers you can make excellent infusions, decoctions and herbal teas … together with the inflorescences it is always good to use the trimming residues and the leaves, vegetable products that however must first be decarboxylated to make cannabinoids available.
Instead of the usual herbal tea drink you can also use decarboxylated leaves to enrich your plant milk with cannabinoids! The idea is to create a protein-rich and nutritious drink that is perfect for breakfast or to create excellent smoothies. To get it, just simmer your milk together with leaves or trimming scraps for a few minutes and then leave to infuse for about half an hour. Filter and enjoy your vegetable milk or keep it in the fridge.
Another type of drink that may interest you and that can be created from the leaves (especially from the leaves) are hemp distillates, or spirits infused or flavored with parts of the marijuana plant. With hemp leaves in particular it is also possible to prepare alcoholic beverages. Hemp beer is very popular, but it’s not that simple to make at home. Better to indulge in the creation of bitters and digestives with herbs, always using the waste parts of cannabis in the mixture together with water, sugar, pure alcohol. Other herbs and spices with which cannabis goes very well are juniper, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, licorice and star anise. For these preparations, cannabis leaves can be used both fresh (they will have a very intense aroma) and dried, the important thing is that the maceration lasts at least a couple of weeks.
CBD UK: Cannabis leaf edibles
Of course, the parts we don’t use for our joints can also be eaten, since cannabis is an edible plant, it can be used for many recipes. It is very nutritious and high in fiber, and by making a cannabis butter with trimming scraps you can also have a supply of cannabinoids to use in the kitchen. With hemp leaves you can prepare raw and cooked recipes, they can be stewed and added to sauces for pasta or in ravioli, or you can consume the freshest and youngest in salads or in vegetable smoothies.
Remember that raw consumption will not allow you to maximize the intake of cannabinoids, but with cooking together with fat (milk, butter, oil …) you will have the best yield. Furthermore, it must be emphasized that the flavor of the cannabis leaf is rather bitter, so we recommend using this ingredient together with other ingredients to obtain a good aromatic balance.
Compost from cannabis leaves
With all the waste that we cannot use differently, it is possible to prepare an excellent compost, the best one for a 100% eco-sustainable crop is the one made of self-produced organic waste. This will allow you to reuse the hemp leaves in their entirety and support the new life by nourishing your next crops with what’s left of the old. Just have access to a composter, a product available at any gardening store, and be sure to use only leaves for this purpose that are not affected by diseases or pests (which could ruin the health of the new plants).