But maintaining the crops, trying to keep a job in town and still having time to devote to other things became a huge challenge.

The greens would wilt within a day of being picked, so a portion of what she harvested to sell was always wasted. She decided she needed a crop that wasn't so high maintenance and she found that in ginger.

Five long garden beds are now full of it and she plans to grow even more next year.

"I have learnt how to grow it well," she said. "I am still harvesting and there is still more growing. I have put a lot of hope into ginger."

Ms Nguyen said there were some teething problems while she learnt how to help the crop flourish.

"If it's too wet sometimes the roots would get rot and sometimes if it's too dry the leaves dry out and it doesn't have enough water."

She is selling it at the Slow Food Earth Market.

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