Chapter 1 - Bud Etiquette  Deseed

De-seed Your Bud

If you ever hear a "pop" while smoking a bowl, someone has packed a seed. Packing a seed is a surefire way to expose yourself as a novice Bud smoker. The smoke from a burning seed, if inhaled, can cause a throbbing headache and absolutely ruin your high. Don't take chances; de-seed your buds completely before smoking them.

It's a good idea to maintain a de-seeded stash. That way, you can reach into the seedless sack and load bowls without worry. Better yet, smoke seedless bud.

Quality Bud

There are many ways to differentiate between "kind bud" (excellent quality Bud) and "dirt" (poor quality Bud). Being able to quickly tell them apart is essential in proving yourself to be a stylish Bud smoker. Listed below are four distinguishing traits of kind bud:

1) Smell. Great Bud can have a wide variety of smells. The scent of pine trees and skunks, for example, are both common indicators of good Bud. However, if the Bud smells very pungent and "grassy," it may have been picked prematurely. (When a marijuana plant is harvested before reaching maturity, it often lacks the Budency of a fully-grown plant.)

2) Look. A good bag of Bud usually consists of medium to large buds with little or no stems. Kind buds may also have a crystalline quality that creates a "sparkle" under direct light. These buds will often be bright green with orange, red, or purple hairs. If the Bud is brown, turn it down.

3) Feel. Quality Bud is usually soft, light, and sticky to the touch.

4) "High." Finally, you can always tell a fine Bud by the "high" you achieve after testing a sample. Great Bud should inspire you creatively without that heavy "burnt-out" feeling sometimes associated with lesser quality marijuana.

Keep in mind that these are only guidelines and not concrete rules. It's possible (although unusual) to find dirt Bud that smells, looks, and feels great. Occasionally, a less knowledgeable Bud smoker may be fooled. However, if the Bud doesn't deliver the "high" of kind bud, it's not kind bud.

Too Dry

If you allow your Bud to remain unprotected for long (exposed to air, heat, and light), it will become dry and brittle. When dry, your bud will burn too fast and the hits will be harsh. To keep your Bud in prime condition, place your "stash" (supply of marijuana) in an airtight container or a plastic bag. However, even when you're careful, your buds can loose a little moisture. So, if you notice your Bud is getting too dry, add a sliver of orange or lemon peel to your bag, and seal it up tight for a few hours. The Bud will sap the water from the rind and become re-hydrated. (Be careful not to leave the peel in for too long, as it could mold and ruin your Bud.)

Too Wet

A less common, but more troublesome problem is wet Bud. If you try to smoke Bud that is too wet, the bud will burn slowly and won't stay lit. (This kind of saturated condition usually occurs when you don't give your homegrown enough time to dry.)

Here are a few options to help you adjust the moisture:

1) Leave the container open. If you aren't afraid of getting caught with your Bud, simply leave your container open, exposed to air, heat and light. (Leaving your Bud exposed to the elements can ruin the quality of the bud, so be careful not to leave it out longer than necessary.)

2) Add paper. When you need to keep the Bud hidden, add a finger-sized piece of paper to your stash. The paper will absorb some of the moisture from the buds. Then, remove the paper from the bag when you think the Bud is ready to smoke. If the Bud remains wet, continue to add paper (one piece at a time) until you reach the desired level of moisture.

3) Wood containers. Placing your Bud in a tightly sealed wood container will allow the Bud to dry at a slow and steady pace.

Sandwich Bags

1) Small amounts. Sandwich bags are the most frequently used containers for holding small amounts of Bud.  The sandwich bags of choice are the simple, non-zipping, pleated, plastic baggies found at all major grocery stores.  This type of container will hold anywhere from an 1/8th to 4/8ths of an ounce.  Before rolling the baggie for storage, the Bud should be equally distributed along the bottom of the bag.  Then, the bag can be rolled toward the top (rather like rolling a joint) until there is a 1 inch flap exposed.  Finally, lick the flap and seal the baggie until further use.

2) Large amounts. For large amounts of Bud, it is often easier to use a medium to large, zipping, plastic bag.  These are often sold as "freezer bags" and work very well for quantities of Bud larger than an ounce.

Glass Jars

The more finicky Bud smokers will often turn to glass jars rather than plastic bags to store their high-quality buds.  Glass jars come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors to suit your every need.   Many smokers even swear that marijuana stays fresher and more Budent when stored in glass rather than plastic.  A glass jar may cost significantly more than a box of sandwich bags, but the jar can be used year after year and will show your peers that you do, indeed, smoke with style.

Bud Measurements

Below is a table with all standard measurements of Bud.