HOW TO IDENTIFY MOLDY WEED
Sometimes mold on weed is obvious. Other times it looks a lot like trichomes or kief. This is why it helps to learn about the telltale signs of mold before smoking your stash
A quick check of your weed can protect your lungs and save you from a very bad session. Here is how to do it.
WHAT DOES MOLDY WEED LOOK LIKE?
Start by checking the color of the bud. Examine the leaves, the stem, and even the small spaces between the flowers.
Signs of mold include:
-
Dusting of white, gray, white or green fuzz
-
Brown or black spots
-
Yellow or any unusual discoloration
-
Wet or slimy spots
-
Cotton-like substance growing inside the bud
Powdery mold looks like flour scattered on the flowers. Gray mold may appear in the form of soft fur or wisps. If you see brown leaves and dark spots -especially around the center of a large bud - it may mean bud rot.
Mold or Trichomes?
It’s easy to confuse mold for trichomes and vice versa.
Trichomes are the glands responsible for producing cannabinoids and terpenes. In the light, trichomes look sparkly and crystal-like. Under magnification, many trichomes look like little clear mushrooms.
Mold doesn’t sparkle like trichomes.
Mold looks dull, powdery, fuzzy, or web-like and may grow randomly in patches instead of coating the flower entirely.
Kief may look like dust, too, but kief has more of a sandy, golden or light greenish color and comes from the trichomes. Mold has flatter texture and usually looks whiter than trichomes.
In Doubt? Use a Jeweler's Loupe
If you are still not sure whether your weed is moldy or not, magnify it.
The right tool for the job is a small 10x jeweler’s loupe, which enables you to see the nug properly. They are affordable, user-friendly, and definitely better than squinting at the nug for ten minutes.
If your phone camera has a high zoom or macro setting, it can be useful too.
Others use a UV black light, and here the suspicious areas may glow green under the light.
WHAT DOES MOLD ON WEED SMELL LIKE?
The next step is to smell the flower.
Good cannabis often has a fruity, gassy, earthy, sweet, cheesy, or skunky smell. Different terpenes produce different aromas, so no one smell is the only "right" cannabis smell. Learn more about normal cannabis aromas in the guide to cannabis terpenes, smell, and taste.
Moldy weed may smell:
-
Musty smell
-
Damp
-
Stale
-
Sour
-
Hay-like
-
Unusually sweet
The most straightforward comparison is a smell that reminds you of a basement, old towels, wet cardboard, or grass packed before it was dry.
WHAT DOES MOLDY WEED TEXTURE FEEL LIKE?
Now, squeeze the bud gently.
Weed that is cured properly is dry on the surface, but at the same time, it must not become completely powdery just because you touched it. Sometimes, it may be slightly sticky due to trichomes.
Moldy bud might feel wet, squishy, sponge-like, and even slimy.
Botrytis will make the inside of the nug feel soft and rotten while powdery mildew might leave you with dust under your fingers.
Do not forget about the stems! Small stems will normally break off easily when the weed is dried properly but if all stems bend and the bud itself feels wet, there might still be too much moisture inside.
TYPES OF CANNABIS MOLD
There are several types of mold and fungal pathogens that can grow on cannabis. These are the main ones you should know.
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew looks like white or pale gray dust.
At first, it may appear in small circles or speckled patches. As it spreads, it can cover leaves and buds in a chalky layer.
High humidity and weak airflow make it easier for powdery mildew to grow. It often starts while the plant is still alive, but contaminated flower may make it through harvesting and packaging.
Botrytis, or Bud Rot
Botrytis cinerea is the fungus connected to bud rot.
It usually starts in thick, tightly packed flowers where moisture gets trapped as there is less airflow inside these areas, which gives the fungus a good place to grow.
The outside of the bud may show brown leaves, gray fuzz, or white wisps. Inside, the flower may be dark, damp, and squishy.
Bud rot can hide in the center of a nug, so check any flower that has unexplained brown leaves or soft spots.
Aspergillus
Aspergillus is found in soil, dust, plants, and decaying material. It can reach cannabis during the grow, during curing, or through improper storage.
This mold is a serious concern for people with weakened immune systems or lung conditions. Inhaling Aspergillus spores may lead to aspergillosis, which is a fungal infection that can affect the lungs and other parts of the body.
Some Aspergillus species can also produce mycotoxins.
CAN YOU STILL SMOKE MOLDY WEED?
Certainly not.
You should never smoke moldy weed and do not cook it into edibles either.
Lighting the flower does not make the problem disappear as it is possible to inhale spores of molds, irritants, or other contaminants. Research has found that Aspergillus spores and some fungal toxins can resist treatments used to reduce microbial contamination.
Possible symptoms of exposure include:
-
Coughing
-
Severe coughing fits
-
Wheezing
-
Shortness of breath
-
Allergic reactions
-
Nausea
-
Vomiting
-
Headaches
-
Chest or throat irritation
The risk can be much more serious for people with weakened immune systems as cannabis contaminated with fungal pathogens has been connected to cases of aspergillosis and other fungal infections.
Get medical help right away if you have difficulty breathing, chest pain, fever, or symptoms that do not improve after a suspected mold exposure.
HOW TO HANDLE MOLDY WEED AND PREVENT FUTURE GROWTH
So, you found mold. What do you do?
Throw it away.
Do not trim off the fuzzy parts and keep the rest( i know you were thinking about it!), because mold spreads via spores so those clean-looking buds in the same jar can be already contaminated.
Before disposing of the infected flower, seal it up in a bag and afterwards, wash everything that has come into contact with the mold (jar, grinder, tray, etc.).
To minimize the risks of developing mold in the future:
-
Store cannabis in airtight glass mason jars.
-
Keep the jars in a cool and dark place.
-
Make sure they are protected from direct sunlight.
-
Use two-way humidity packs.
-
Try to keep the humidity levels at around 55-62 percent relative humidity.
-
Inspect stored nugs periodically for any smell, wetness or discolorations.
-
Do not store your marijuana in the fridge - the fluctuations in temperature will cause condensation inside, and mold loves moisture.
-
Do not store your marijuana in plastic baggies - they give poor humidity control.
HOW TO AVOID BUYING MOLDY CANNABIS FLOWER ONLINE
You can't smell or feel the flower through the screen. Thus, you have to check the seller instead.
Check COAs
First, check if the supplier has Certificates of Analysis, otherwise referred to as COAs. Ensure that the report is for the same product or batch you are buying. A helpful COA should give much more than just a high reading of THCA percentage it should also show tests related to microbes, contaminants, pesticides, and potency.
After that, read independent reviews.
Reddit and other cannabis communities are helpful because customers often post pictures and state the defects like the bad batches, strange smells, poor curing, or refund problems.
You can also search for the company name along with words like "mold," "bud rot," or "complaint."
Be cautious with flowers that are abnormally priced low.
Although low prices do not relate to weed being moldy, some prices being irrational may indicate old stock, loose quality control, or mishandled flowers.
This is also true for pre-rolls. Because the cannabis has already been ground, mold and discoloration are harder to see.
Shop from a reputable brand
Shopping from a licensed dispensary or a reputable hemp company does lower the risk somewhat, but it doesn't eliminate it entirely. Even if the product is tested, it can still get contaminated if it is kept in a too humid place or in bad storage.
SHOP SAFE HEMP PRODUCTS AT SUPER GREENS HEMP
At Super Greens Hemp, we believe that quality flower starts with careful growing, drying, curing, testing, and storage.
That’s why we partner with local American farms to grow our flowers in full compliance with the NIST standards - hence, all our products have the lab results attached for you to see what you actually bought. No guess work on whether your flower is clean or not.
Browse the full collection of lab-tested THCA flower, including indoor, greenhouse, exotic, smalls, and budget-friendly options.
