Herbal Steaming - A Beautiful Hobby

INTRODUCTION

Vaping cannabis is a popular trend that is gaining more and more supporters every day. Vaping is considered a much healthier practice than smoking – quality dry herb vaporizers do not produce carcinogens or other toxic byproducts. And the big plus when it comes to quality of experience – a quality dry herb vaporizer delivers a much richer flavor and maximizes the effects of cannabis.

So far, vaping has primarily been associated with cannabis or nicotine. But it's good to keep in mind that hundreds of other herbs can be vaporized (or smoked). Vaping them can synergistically enhance the cannabis vaping experience. And when vaporized individually, these herbs can provide their own unique positive effects such as physical and mental relaxation, energy, cough relief, digestion promotion/other effects.

Every dried herb – including cannabis – has its own optimal temperature range for vaping. The goal is to achieve the ideal temperature between the minimum possible temperature required for the herb to begin vaping and the maximum possible temperature beyond which the herb begins to burn producing harmful smoke and toxic byproducts. The good thing about using most dry herb vaporizers is that they allow their users to set the temperature with relative precision – something smokers cannot do. The taste, the "down" sensation in the throat, the effects depend on the temperature, so there is a lot of room for experimentation so that everyone can find their own unique "sweet spot" with an herb.

DISCLAIMER

Before we proceed with reporting the thermal range for the herbs that we provide in our store (and for some that we currently do not carry), we must tell you the following: Herbs can interact with medications or nutritional supplements that you take. If you are taking medication or dealing with any physical or mental illness, it is RECOMMENDED that you consult your health care providers before deciding that you want to proceed with vaping dried herbs.

In addition, it is very important to know that there is a possibility that you may be allergic to any of the herbs listed (or any herb). Inhaling the smoke or vapor of herbs to which you are allergic can be dangerous to your physical health and require immediate medical attention. People with allergies should be especially careful with this practice.

Herbs Suitable for Steaming

Cannabis

Cannabis flowers (CBD): 160°C – 200°C

*Spinning Hemp Hash Extracts: 200°C – 220°C

*CBD Isolate: 160°C – 180°C

*CBG Isolate: 220°C

*CBN Isolate: 185°C

*The ideal method of vaping Hemp Hash/ CB(X) Isolates is to use a box mod + atomizer. In our store we have the ideal "tools" for vaping them - e.g

Smartshop – Raw Herbs

Kanna: 188°C – 200°C

Kratom (Chopped Leaves – Not Powder!): 175°C – 200°C

Amanita Muscaria: 180°C – 190°C

Banisteriopsis Caapi (Leaves): 205°C – 220°C

Bay Bean: 150°C – 175°C

Blue Lotus: 100° – 125°C

Bobinsana (Leaves): 190°C – 210°C

Imphepho: 140 – 160°C

Llex Guayusa: 175°C – 183°C

Mexican Tarragon: 150°C – 175°C

Mulungu: 190°C – 200°C

Salvia Divinorum (Leaves): 210°C – 230°C

Smartshop – Solid Extracts

Herbal extracts are vaporized in the same heat range as the herbs from which they are derived.

Granular extracts: Powdered extracts can be used in dry herb vaporizers if placed in the middle of dried herbs (like a mini sandwich where the extract is in the middle between 2 layers of dry herbs). Alternatively, the best option is to use degummed hemp fiber (Hemp Wool).

Resinous extracts: The resinous extracts are intended for smoking or placed in box mods+atomizers like the famous combo iStick Pico + Saionara Taf:

Traditional Herbs – Ayuverda – TCM

Akoros Kalamos: 150°C – 175°C

Althea: 150°C – 200°C

American Scutellaria: 150°C – 200°C

Valerian: 100°C – 150°C

Royal: 130°C

Cloves: 125°C – 150°C

Rosemary: 125°C

Eucalyptus: 130°C

Thyme: 100°C – 150°C

Hibiscus: 175°C

Holy Basil 180°C – 190°C

Lavender: 100°C – 125°C

Lemongrass: 125°C – 150°C

White Peony (Other white teas): 180°C

Hop: 175°C – 200°C

Mate (Yerba Mate): 100°C – 150°C

Honeysuckle: 142°C

Moira Puama (Muira Puama – Combined with Hemp Wool because of its granular texture): 175°C – 200°C

Damiana: 160°C – 190°C

Passionflower: 100°C – 150°C

Peppermint: 100°C – 150°C

Green tea: 175°C – 183°C

Sendella (Gotu Kola): 100°C – 150°C

Ginseng: 175°C – 200°C

Nettle: 170°C – 190°C

Sage: 125°C – 150°C

Chamomile: 100°C – 125°C

Botanical Blends

Herbs can be vaporized or even smoked individually. But there is also the option of combining them with other herbs to enhance the effects you want, enhance the taste or search for other flavors and for a "softer" descent during inhalation. The botanical combinations are innumerable and everyone can make unique blends cut and tailored. All that is required is the 1st ingredient (the dried herbs) and a precision scale. There are some principles you can apply if you want to create beautiful herbal blends for vaping or smoking:

1.First you choose the herb that will be the base of the mixture. This is the herb that, compared to others, more strongly exhibits the effects you desire. Let's say for example that I choose to make a botanical blend that will enhance relaxation and I choose hemp flower ground as a base.

2.Then you choose 2-4 herbs that will enhance the effects of the base herb and balance its flavor. Let's say I choose to use American scutellaria and chamomile.

3. The 3rd step is to choose an herb that will be intensely flavorful. Herbs such as lavender, rosemary or clove are good choices. For our example – since I want to make a vaping/smoking blend for relaxation – I would look to choose lavender because it has relaxing effects on its own.

4. Once you have all the ingredients of your choice, you should use them in the proper proportions. In general the following mixing rule applies: 3 parts of the base herb – 2 parts of the enhancing herbs – 1 part of the flavoring herb.

So for our example, my blend would be mixed as follows: 3 grams of ground CBD hemp flowers – 2 grams of scutellaria and chamomile (1 gram each or as desired) – 1 gram of lavender. This mixing gives us 6 grams of blend. If I wanted to make 30 grams in total to have my own "tobacco" to use in the afternoon or evening, I would multiply the above proportions x 5 to have 30 grams of "blend".

It is good to remember to remove sticks or other parts of plant material that will "sabotage" the mixture. Also, make sure you rub the herbs well and mix them evenly.

The prospect of using herbs and mixing to make my own blends sat well with me from the start. I like both the creative part and the ability to have the effects I want in a soft, gentle way that "works" in the background. Sometimes I also use them as substitutes for tobacco. It is a fact that the methods used to grow industrial tobacco are very harmful to humans – chemical pesticides, carcinogens, a long list of disadvantages.

As for other herbs - especially if they come from organic crops - even smoking them is logically much better than smoking tobacco. By vaping them, the negative side effects are minimized and we can also experience effects that we consider desirable. For me it is "the way forward". You may find that the same is true for you. In another article we will go into more detail about the effects that one can experience from using them individually in this way. Happy vaping :).