All cannabis flower is dried and cured after harvest, but some batches can be dry while others can be sticky. Many customers complain about dry buds of hemp or marijuana, but dry weed is normal. In fact, it may even be a better value. Whether you are buying hemp or marijuana, the dryness of the bud is a normal and inherent variable that is not a reason for a return or refund.
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Dry Bud vs Sticky Bud
Dry buds are not necessarily old or low quality. For example, CBG hemp flower is naturally drier and more crumbly. This is just the way it is. The particular strain is not as oily and resinous as moister strains, and the farmer has not done anything wrong.
Sticky buds tend to come from more resin-rich strains of cannabis. In some cases, this higher moisture level can actually make the flower more difficult to break up and smoke. While dry buds can be more harsh to smoke, sticky buds can be more difficult to break up and burn (and also more mess on your hands).
So you can see that there are pros and cons to both sticky bud and dry bud and neither one is wrong or defective!
Advantages of Dry Buds of Weed
Cannabis is sold by weight, and weight is influenced by the density (moisture) of a substance. So when you purchase cannabis flower that is more dry, you actually get a larger volume on buds. Buds that are higher in moisture and resin content weigh more and you get a smaller volume of flower. When that flower starts to dry out more at home, you will have less than if you had bought a flower that already had a lower moisture content.
Advantages of Sticky Weed
Sticky weed buds with high levels of moisture and resin are a sticky mess when it comes time to break them up and smoke them. However, these moister varieties do tend to be very flavorful and can be less harsh to smoke.
Dry Buds: Rehydrating Cannabis
When it comes to rehydrating dry buds, there are a few things that can be tried. First, there is prevention. Keeping your buds in an airtight uv-blocking container and using Boveda humidity packs will ensure your herb stays as moist and fresh as possible. You should also avoid exposing the buds to heat or cold.
Rehydrating buds is never recommended and will void any claim you have to a return/store credit/refund. But if you want to take the chance of doing more damage and making the buds worse, there are some cannabis rehydration tricks that can be attempted.
Can I Rehydrate Weed in the Freezer?
No! If you freeze your buds you will degrade the plant compounds and end up with even worse condition buds that could be higher in the sedating cannabinoid CBN.
Rehydrating Buds With Bread, Lettuce, or a Tortilla
The best way to rehydrate is to place some bread, lettuce leaf, or a tortilla in a thick ziplock bag with the buds. Check the buds after two hours and shake them around. If needed, ad a fresh piece of bread/lettuce/tortilla and repeat, but be very cautious not to let them sit together for too long.
After the buds have rehydrated enough, move them to a fresh airtight container. Be aware that this method introduces the possibility of creating mold in your buds, something that the retailer should not be blamed for.
Rehydrating Buds With Fruit Peels
Similar to the bread method, fruit peels may be used to rehydrate buds. This will transfer some of the fruit flavor to the bud (for better or worse). Herbs like rosemary and mint can also work, and of all of the peels lime and orange are the ones people opt for most often. To use this method, you take the same steps as with the bread method, and the same hazards of ruining the bud further still apply.
Final Thought on Dry Buds
Those who have been using cannabis for a long time understand that it is a natural agricultural product and customers cannot expect it to be consistent in the way that manufactured products are. It is much more comparable to produce at the grocery store than supplements at the nutrition store in this regard. Before you buy hemp flower online, be sure to review their information such as Buyer's Guides which will help inform you about the product and explain what realistic expectations you can have.
