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Fairy Rings
They start small and grow outwards at a variable rate depending on temperature, situation and local conditions, they can grow at several inches to several feet per year. They are unsightly, but not not a terminal problem for your lawn, how much of a problem they are of course depends on how unsightly you find them. They acquired their common name because they were thought to be the result of fairy-folk dancing in a circle overnight The fungus does not directly attack the grass plants. Its mycelia (threads of fungal growth) penetrate the soil to 3 to 12 inches. The mycelia are hydrophobic (they shed water) and grow very densely. The grass immediately above this mycelial mat eventually dies from lack of moisture. The good news about fairy rings is that the mushrooms produced are often of an edible type, any one of three species (this applies to the UK - but check with a fungus ID book before you try them!). The bad news about fairy rings is that they are very difficult to remove. How do I get rid of a fairy ring? The short answer is - with great difficulty.
How can I avoid getting fairy rings Fairy rings form most often in soils with high organic matter, or in lawns with a thick layer of thatch (dead grass, moss and clippings between the grass blades and the soil). Scarifying to remove thatch and core aerating to help its breakdown are helpful as they deny the fungus its foodstuff. When preparing soil for seeding or turf, any large sources of non-composted organic matter such as tree stumps, wood building materials, etc. should be removed as they provide a food from which fairy ring fungi can spread. Good turf management goes a long way to avoiding fairy rings How to spot a fairy ring Fairy rings most often put in an appearance once spring is under way about May time. They may initially be egg shaped and not meet to form a ring. As time goes by they expand outwards but the same thickness (around 15cm, 6 inches) like a smoke-ring. You may see it as a double ring of dark green grass that produces a crop of toadstools. Sometimes fairy rings may meet up, but they never overlap, chemicals produced by the fungi inhibit the growth of the others, so they touch and stop.
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A
fairy ring is a circular ring seen most often on lawns or grassland. They appear
as a ring shaped brown or dead patch often with a bright green strip of grass at
the inner and outer edges of the ring. They are caused by a fungus growing and feeding
just below the surface of the lawn. Often a fairy will start producing mushrooms
above ground any time from July onwards which will confirm its presence.
Make sure you shake the bottle well before
use as the active ingredients often settle to the bottom - take it from me
I learned the hard way!