Mint From the Balcony: Growing Pudina and Pouring It Fresh

Few herbs repay a small effort the way mint does. A single pot on a sunny balcony can give you leaves for weeks, and nothing smells fresher than a stem pinched between your fingers.

Growing pudina in a pot

• Give it its own pot. Mint spreads quickly and takes over its neighbours.
• Choose a place with morning light and some shade in the afternoon heat.
• Keep the soil moist, not soggy. A pot with a drainage hole helps.
• Pinch the tips regularly. This keeps the plant bushy and stops it from flowering early.
• Start with a cutting. A stem from a friend or a bunch from the market will often root in water.

Picking and using the leaves

Harvest in the morning, when the leaves are firm. Take sprigs rather than single leaves, and cut just above a pair of leaves so the plant branches out.

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  Mintपुदीना · Pudina

  Pudina, mint, is the cooling, fragrant herb of Indian chutneys and chaats.

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  Spearmintपुदीना · Spearmint

  Spearmint is a sweet, gentle mint.

Press a fresh sprig lightly between your palms to wake up its aroma, then rest it in the cup.

Beyond the cup

• Float a few leaves in a jug of cold water.
• Tuck a sprig into iced Pavansudha.
• Make a quick mint chutney with coriander, green chilli and lemon.
• Dry a bunch upside down in a shady, airy place.