Fairy Ring

Grasses most commonly affected: all.

What Is Fairy Ring?

Mushrooms (types of Basidiomycetes) growing in a circular pattern are commonly called a fairy ring. This strange lawn phenomenon usually starts as a small circle of dark or brown grass, but over time it gets bigger as the fungus grows. Mushrooms often appear on the outer ring of the circle during spring and fall when there is a lot of moisture or rainfall.

Fairy Ring Signs and Symptoms

Fairy ring fungi do not attack grass directly, but break down organic matter in the soil, like old roots or a stump. As the organic matter breaks down, nitrogen is released, which results in dark green arcs or rings of thick, fast-growing grass. In some advanced cases, the circles can be brown or dead grass. These rings are most commonly between 2’ to 15’ in diameter, but there have been cases where they have grown as large as 150’ or more.

Three Kinds of Fairy Ring

• Raised patch of turf that appears darker in color or faster growing.
• Dead grass in a circular shape due to inability to absorb water.
• A full ring of mushrooms sometimes interspersed with brown, dark green or dead grass. This often occurs in high-moisture environments.

Fairy Ring Prevention

While these strange circles won’t necessarily destroy your lawn or kill the grass, they are very unattractive and are extremely difficult to remove permanently. Chemical treatment can be rough and is often ineffective. Fairy rings are less likely to grow on well-maintained areas. Therefore, the best defense is keeping your lawn healthy with proper watering, regular mowing, the correct blend of fertilizer, and other services such as aeration.

To control fairy ring in your lawn, contact Cardinal Lawns today. We provide thorough lawn disease control and unparalleled expertise to help your property look its best.