Finding mold on your cannabis is every consumer’s nightmare. Not only is smoking moldy weed unpleasant, it can cause side effects like coughing, nausea, and allergic reactions. So what does moldy weed look like? How can you prevent it? This guide will cover everything you need to know.
Contents
What Causes Mold to Grow on Weed?
Mold is a type of fungus that spreads through tiny spores in the air. It thrives in warm, humid environments with poor ventilation. Improperly dried, cured, or stored cannabis can develop mold if the conditions are right.
The main factors that lead to moldy weed are:
- Excess moisture – Wet buds or high humidity provides an ideal environment for mold.
- Poor air circulation – Stagnant air prevents moisture from evaporating, causing it to accumulate.
- Inadequate storage – Containers that don’t have proper airflow can trap moisture and breed mold spores.
Temperature also plays a role. While mold can grow in a wide range of temperatures, between 60-80°F seems to be optimal.
What Does Moldy weed Look Like?
Mold can appear in different forms, but typically looks like a fuzzy, web-like white or gray coating on the outside of buds. It can also manifest as black or green splotches.
Powdery mildew is a common type of cannabis mold. It starts off as white powdery spots on leaves and buds that eventually spreads to coat the entire plant.
Bud rot causes flowers to rot from the inside out. Signs include brown, mushy areas and a foul, decaying smell.
Other indicators of moldy weed:
- White powder clumps on surface
- Discolored brown/yellow patches
- Slimy texture
- Visible mold spores
Moldy Weed vs. Trichomes
It’s easy to confuse mold with trichomes at first glance. So what’s the difference?
Trichomes are the crystalline structures on cannabis buds that produce terpenes and cannabinoids. They are clear, viscous resin glands that appear like sticky hairs. Sometimes they can take on a sparkly, glimmering look.
Mold has a dull, fuzzy appearance and powdery texture. It coats the outside of buds in an unpleasant way.
Learn to distinguish healthy trichomes from hazardous mold so you can spot contaminated buds.
What Does Moldy Weed Smell Like?
Along with visually inspecting buds, use your nose to detect moldy weed.
The most common descriptive terms for the smell of moldy cannabis are:
- Musty, mildew odor
- Smells like wet basement/cardboard
- Hay-like aroma
- Rotting leaves/wet soil
- Pungent, unpleasant
In contrast, properly cured and stored cannabis retains its typical skunky, earthy scent. Foul odors are a dead giveaway that mold is present. Trust your senses – if it smells funky, don’t smoke it.
Can You Smoke Moldy Weed Safely?
It’s generally not recommended to intentionally smoke weed with mold due to potential health risks:
- Coughing fits
- Nausea and vomiting
- Inflammation of lungs/sinuses (especially if allergic)
- Difficulty breathing
- Headaches
For medical patients or those with compromised immune systems, mold exposure can be dangerous and lead to lung infections. Aspergillus mold in particular can cause chest pain, coughing up blood, and fever.
Even for healthy consumers, moldy weed usually provides an unpleasant smoking experience. At best you’ll cough a lot, at worst it could trigger severe allergic reactions or long term respiratory issues. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to mold.
Is There Any Way to Fix Moldy weed?
Unfortunately mold cannot be fully removed or restored once cannabis flower becomes contaminated. Even if you cut away obvious mold spots, microscopic spores may remain deep within the buds.
Attempting to salvage some non-moldy parts of a contaminated batch also risks spreading invisible colonies during handling.
The only way to fix moldy weed is to discard it so it doesn’t compromise the rest of your supply. Chalk it up as a loss; your health is too precious to smoke sketchy bud.
Storing Cannabis to Prevent Mold Growth
Proper storage methods are crucial for keeping your cannabis fresh and mold-free over the long term. Follow these tips:
Containers: Store buds in airtight glass jars to limit moisture exposure. Add humidity control packs to actively regulate ideal conditions.
Temperatures: Keep jars sealed away from direct light in a cool, dark spot around 60-75°F. Avoid refrigeration.
Environment: Choose storage areas with low baseline humidity like a closet. Ensure good airflow circulation in rooms containing cannabis.
Inspection: Check buds periodically for visible mold, unpleasant odors, color changes or mushy texture. At first sign of contamination, isolate and destroy affected supply.
With proper preventative storage methods, you can keep weed mold-free for months. But always visually inspect and use your nose before consuming, just to be safe.
The Takeaway
Finding moldy weed in your supply can be unpleasant and hazardous if consumed. Always inspect buds closely and be on high alert for:
- White, gray, black fuzziness coating outside
- Powdery mildew spots
- Decaying changes in color/texture
- Foul, musty smell
Learning how to prevent mold growth through careful moisture control and storage will keep your buds fresh longer. But if you do discover contaminated buds – don’t smoke moldy weed! Toss it out immediately to protect yourself and your remaining stash.
FAQS
How do you tell if your buds are moldy?
There are a few key ways to identify moldy buds:
– Visually inspect for gray, white or black fuzziness on the buds, especially concentrated in spots
– Take a close look for signs of decay like brown limpness or mushy texture
– Check if the buds have taken on a dull, matted look instead of bright green with shiny trichomes
– Smell the buds for any musty, ammonia-like odor instead of dank, skunky cannabis scent
– Mold often first appears on biggest, densest buds with less air exposure
If you observe any of those indicators – mold is likely present. When in doubt, don’t smoke it.
What does weed look like when it starts to mold?
In the early stages of mold growth, you may notice:
– Small white powdery spots on leaves and flowers
– Light web-like gray fuzz concentrated in patches
– Subtle dulling in color and trichome clarity
– Browning tips or yellowing of sugar leaves
As mold colonizes, it quickly spreads to create bigger fuzzy clumps, brown limpness, white powder, and muted colors. Trust your senses too – early mold produces a light musty scent. Catch it fast by regularly checking buds!
What does bad weed look like?
Bad weed refers to cannabis that wasn’t properly dried and cured after harvest. Common visual indicators include:
– Brownish discoloration and limpness
– Visible mold coating buds
– White powdery mildew spots
– Webbing and bug infestation signs
– Excess leaf material with few trichomes
Bad weed basically lacks vibrant pistils, dense buds and frosted trichome coverage. It often smells like ammonia, grass or hay rather than loud dankness. Always inspect buds first before buying or smoking.
How bad is white mold on weed?
White mold, aka powdery mildew, is one of the most rapidly-spreading types affecting cannabis plants and buds. Small patches quickly colonize across leaves and flowers to cover them in a fine white powder or web-like growth.
While not the most dangerous form, powdery mildew can significantly degrade THC potency even if subtle at first. Spores rupture trichome heads to reduce resin production over time. Plus it leaves behind poor taste and harsh smoke. No bueno!
So white powder or fuzz should be taken seriously early. Don’t smoke moldy weed as health risks aren’t worth it. Destroy any contaminated supply after isolating it posthaste!
