Green-fingered Bethlehem teen named one of NZ's top young gardeners

Declan Lang, 13, is in the running to be named NZ's top young gardener. Photo/supplied

A Bethlehem teen is in the running to become New Zealand top young gardener.

Declan Lang has been named Central North Island Budding Young Gardener, putting him in the running for the inaugural Yates Budding Young Gardener prize.

The 13-year-old caught the attention of judges Ruud Kleinpaste and Sarah O'Neil by creating a vegetable garden from scratch.

He recorded a time-lapse video of him spending a day clearing out a portion of overgrown garden, weeding, digging and setting down edging before composting and planting.

"This was new project for me and my first solo attempt at gardening. I have always pottered in my grandparents' garden and helped out my parents but I just decided to do this myself this time.

"I've planted radish, beetroot, rocket, carrots and silverbeet and am looking forward to harvesting them. I'm not the average sort of kid who is fussy about eating veges," he said.

Declan was also working with his parents on a restoration project on family land, clearing gorse and planting native trees.

He also had plans to attack the rest of the garden at home and expand his vegetable patch.

The regional win netted him a Yates hamper with $300 worth of products.

He will go up against seven other regional winners for the grand prize of a trip to Australia, becoming a Yates Ambassador for a year and spending time in his garden with a Yates horticulturist.

The winner will be decided by public vote.

Voting closes October 5 and the winner will be announced during National Gardening Week, beginning October 15.

Vote for Declan