HAMPSHIRE gardeners are being urged to use compost in their gardens in the fight to reduce carbon emissions.

Although many green-fingered gardeners will be aware of the benefits of using compost they may not be aware that it can help reduce the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere.

Research by Cranfield University indicates carbon released from soil in England and Wales has contributed four million tonnes since 1982.

Now makers of Pro-Grow, a compost made from recycled Hampshire waste, are encouraging people to use compost to collectively prevent up to 1.4 million tonnes being released each year.

This is the equivalent of removing more than one million cars from our roads.

Soil has a huge storage capacity for carbon but as organic matter levels fall, carbon is released into the environment.

This is accelerated by global warming, which speeds up microbial activity allowing for greater release of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.

Figures from the Composting Association suggest that by adding compost to the soil you can increase the organic content and therefore retain carbon that would otherwise be released.

Ed Watson, composting manager for Veolia Environmental Services, makers of Pro-Grow, said: "Pro-Grow is made from green garden waste from Hampshire gardens, a high-quality product which helps prevent carbon in the soil from being released. The process uses no chemicals and Pro-Grow is peat-free, which helps to preserve our valuable peat bog habitats."