Cannabis Science

How to Rehydrate Weed

weed buds

Nobody likes when their weed stash goes dry. Smoking weed dust is not on anyone’s to-do list. Luckily, there are many ways you can rehydrate weed and prevent it from happening. Here is how to rehydrate weed and how to prevent your weed from drying out again. 

Photo: Unsplash 

How to Rehydrate Dry Weed

There are many methods you can use to rehydrate weed. The key is not overdoing any method because too much moisture may cause mold. 

The methods we’ll be discussing are:

  1. Using a fruit peel
  2. Employing a damp paper towel
  3. Vapor method
  4. Introducing fresh cannabis stalks 

Using a Fruit Peel

Lex Blazer, a cannabis enthusiast on YouTube, says that the fruit peel method is a good way to rehydrate weed. The steps are:

  1. Obtain peel from the fruit. In the video, Blazer used an orange peel. However other fruits such as bananas, lemons, and watermelon can be used. 
  2. Insert fruit peel and weed into a resealable plastic container.
  3. Keep the bag sealed. Create distance between the fruit peel and the weed. 
  4. Leave them undisturbed for a couple of hours. Blazer says after a few hours, the weed will get the moisture back.
  5. Once the weed is rehydrated, remove the peels and keep the weed in an airtight container. 

You can watch how it’s done in the video below.

You should probably know that your weed may have extra flavor from using fruit peels. So, if you’re not into that, you may want to use another method. 

Damp Paper Towel Method

Pot Squash Growers say that using a damp paper towel is actually the best way to rehydrate weed. Here are the steps:

  1. Get a square of a paper towel and dampen it with water. Make sure it’s not soaking wet. 
  2. Fold the paper towel so it can fit neatly over your weed stash. Having them in a jar is preferred for this method.
  3. Leave the jar in the dark for 12 hours.
  4. Enjoy your dehydrated weed!

You can see how it’s done below.

An alternative to the damp paper towel method is replacing the paper towel with moist bread. Some people also recommend lettuce and potato peels. However, The Cannabis Experts on YouTube, do not recommend those. 

According to them, if you accidentally leave lettuce and potato peels in your stash, and they lose their moisture too quickly, your stash could turn into a smelly mess. 

Vapor Method 

The vapor method was also suggested by The Cannabis Experts. It involves the use of hot vapor to rehydrate your weed. Here’s how you do it:

  1. Fill a container with boiling hot water. 
  2. Put a thin cloth over the top that still allows the steam to rise through it. 
  3. Place your dried weed on top of the cloth.
  4. Turn your weed over, every 5 minutes. 
  5. Do this 2-3 times within a 30 minute period.

There are a couple of warnings with this method. While it is the quickest method, your weed may become too wet or too hot. Just make sure you keep a close eye on it and you should be fine. 

Fresh Cannabis Plant Method

According to The Cannabis Experts, if you’re growing cannabis, you can use a piece of the same plant to rehydrate the buds. Here’s how you do it:

  1. Cut cannabis flowers off a live plant. 
  2. Add the fresh flowers to your weed stash. Ideally, they should be an airtight container. 
  3. Leave the flowers until the weed stash dehydrates. You’ll have to keep an eye on it because remember you don’t want mold to start growing 

How to Prevent Weed From Drying Out 

The best way to keep weed fresh is to pay attention to the conditions you store it in.  Here’s how you prevent your weed from drying out in the future. 

Opt for Airtight Containers

Airtight Containers, such as a mason jar, are the best ways to store your weed stash. According to MCR Labs, “Transferring your cannabis products into an airtight container will go a long way to preventing dryness and other degradation.”

In addition to that,  air can cause oxidation which ultimately changes the chemical profile of your stash. They recommend glass containers like the mason jar we mentioned. However, it’s not the only option. 

You can check out some of these weed stash boxes that we recommend. 

One last thing, the size of the container matters. MCR Labs say that a container that is too big will still result in oxidation. Jon Wani, a cannabis expert, told MCR Labs that they keep their jars about two-thirds full. That way, there is less air but the buds aren’t being squished. 

Use Humidity Packs

Without sufficient humidity, your cannabis will get dry. One popular way to control the humidity in your weed stash is by adding a humidity pack to the container. 

Mashable explains the science behind Boveda, a popular humidity pack brand. Each pack contains natural salts, purified water vapor and food-grade thickener. It works by controlling the water vapor in the container. Therefore, “the vapor flows in and out of the pack to either add or remove moisture when needed”.

Conclusion

If you find yourself with dried-out the weed, there are many ways you can rehydrate it. Naturally, you’d prefer to keep your weed hydrated in the first place. By storing your weed in an airtight container and controlling the humidity, you should have weed hydrated for longer. 

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About Trevann

Trevann is Stoner Rotation’s Jamaica-based lead writer for the Science section of our cannabis blog. She graduated with honors receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Biology from the University of West Indies, Mona. For the last three years, she has covered some of the biggest questions around cannabis and health underpinned with research from supporting studies, medical journals and scholarly articles. Got something on your mind? You can reach her at [email protected].