Pudina Care: Want your pudina to grow lush in this heat? This veggie peel is the secret!

Mint plants love sunlight, but the crazy summer heat can be too much. If you manage the sun, water, and fertiliser correctly, your pudina plant will give you fresh leaves all year round.

When the temperature hits 40-45 degrees in May and June, don't leave your pudina plant out in the sun all day. Make sure it only gets 3-4 hours of gentle morning sun. Too much heat will burn the leaves and kill their lovely fragrance. If your plant is in a pot, just shift it to a cooler spot like a balcony. For a terrace garden, a 'green net' can cut the heat by 50%.

For your pudina to grow fast, the soil needs to be loose and well-drained. Make sure water doesn't collect in the pot. In this kind of soil, the roots spread easily, and the plant grows much faster.

Want your pudina plant to grow thick and bushy? Just pinch the tips of the stems near the leaves every 15 days. This simple trick encourages new branches to sprout, making your plant much fuller.

We use pudina leaves directly in our food and drinks, so never use chemical fertilisers on them. Stick to organic options only to keep it safe and healthy.

In summer, a liquid fertiliser made from cucumber peels works wonders for pudina. Just soak the peels of 2 cucumbers in 1 litre of water for 24 hours. The next day, strain the water and pour it at the base of the plant. The vitamins C, A, K, and potassium in it will cool the roots.

You can also use leftover tea powder or vermicompost. The nitrogen in them keeps the leaves green and improves air circulation in the soil, which is great for the roots.

Always water your pudina plant either early in the morning or in the evening. If you water it in the hot afternoon sun, the soil temperature will shoot up and you might end up damaging the roots.