Let’s say you’re breaking into the cannabis scene and you want to understand how to make the most of your flower. Or maybe you’re a marijuana connoisseur, but you’ve stuck to vaping and edibles for quite a few years and you want to try something new. When it comes to flower, the question that arises is – to grind or not to grind?

We have a simple answer to that question: yes, you should grind!

Beyond just a simple ‘yes,’ there’s a lot to learn about grinding your weed. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place to find it all out.

Why Should I Grind My Weed?

When you smoke flower, you want the cannabis to be shredded and broken up into small pieces so that it will all burn evenly and completely. The cannabinoids in marijuana are released when it burns, so it should be done thoroughly.

So, now it’s clear that marijuana should be ground up. But why should it be done specifically with a grinder?

It all has to do with the way a weed grinder is constructed. It has sharp teeth that shred the flower quickly, neatly, and easily. You don’t lose any part of what you want to smoke, and you don’t make a mess. You’ve got the best of both worlds.

Why Not Use My Hands?

If you’ve never ground your weed before, you might be tempted to just use your hands to save a little money. And we don’t blame you! But, at the same time, we’re here to let you know that using your hands won’t achieve the same end result as using a grinder would.

If you use your hands to break up your weed, you will A) end up with sticky weed-smelling fingers that won’t let you roll a joint easily B) create inconsistent weed C) waste valuable kief (the strongest type of unprocessed cannabis in the form of a fine powder) that your grinder would’ve caught.

Resist using your hands. The grinder will go much more smoothly and you’ll enjoy the process a lot more.

Benefits of Grinding Weed

If you’re not quite convinced, check out the benefits that come with grinding weed:

Saves You Time

If you’ve ever tried to grind your weed by hand before, you know how annoying the really sticky buds are to try and break apart. Grinders don’t have that problem – especially electric ones! If you roll joints throughout the day, or if you want to roll more than one in a single sitting, a grinder makes quick work of it.

Joints Burn Slowly

The consistency of flower after it’s been in the grinder is fine and uniform. After you use it to roll a joint, that joint will burn more slowly and evenly. With finely-ground flower, you can pack a joint more tightly, which makes it burn longer.

Easy Transportation

If you’re on the go, you can store your weed in little containers and bring it with you – but first, that weed should be ground. Even better, your grinder can act as a nice storage space for cannabis too.

Preferable To Bakers

You always want to use ground weed when you’re baking, because it incorporates into the recipe more evenly and without clumps. When in the oven, it also heats up more consistently. It’s also baker-preferred because ground weed is known to taste better thanks to the terpene profile that emerges during the grinding process.

Dos And Don’ts Of Grinding

Grinding your weed involves more than knowing how to work the grinder. There’s an etiquette that goes along with it.

Do:

• Clean your grinder regularly and thoroughly to ensure it works properly and does the work to make your weed taste better.
• Lubricate the moving parts once in a while.
• Grind in moderation.
• Apply gentle pressure while grinding.
• Store your grinder in a safe place.
• Respect your grinder’s limitations.

Don’t:

• Overload your grinder.
• Use unnecessary force when grinding.
• Neglect regular cleaning.
• Grind in big batches that cause wear and tear on your machine.

Enjoying The Grind

At Lake Effect Cannabis, we want you to enjoy smoking flower – and that’s most likely to happen when you’ve done a good job grinding your weed. Now that you know why flower is ground and all the benefits that come along with it, we can’t wait for you to get comfortable on this new branch of your cannabis journey.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out or stop by and chat with us; we’re located at 5216 S Westnedge Ave, Portage, MI 49002 and we look forward to seeing you!