Home ▸ Lawn Care Guide ▸ Lawn Disease ▸ Fairy Rings

Fairy Rings

What are they?

Fairy Rings are symptomatic of fungal disease. The mycelium of the fungus spread and form colonies below the surface, feeding on organic matter like thatch or tree stumps and affecting the root zone of the turf, eventually causing dead areas. Sometimes, there are no visible symptoms on the surface, but as the fungus feeds on organic matter in the soil, nutrients are released, and this can cause rings of dark green turf or result in rings of mushrooms cropping up in Summer and Autumn.

Fairy rings can also lead to longer term turf damage, as the mycelium of the fungus has water repellent properties and can lead to patches of dead, dried out grass that is impossible to water no matter how much it is saturated.

How effective are fungicide treatments?

There is no permanent cure for lawn diseases, but some can be controlled or prevented by modern fungicides. In most lawn environments, good horticultural practices can prevent severe fungal attack or long-term problems. Sports turf and intensively managed grass areas may require a regular fungicide programme to prevent disease outbreak. However, products are often only available to licensed professionals. For more severe infections in domestic lawns, the only real alternative is to excavate and remove the soil in the infected area up to 450mm deep and to replace the soil before re-seeding or turfing.

Is there anything else I can do?

Although there are no chemical treatments for fairy rings, taking the following steps may help to prevent them in future or minimise the appearance of current rings

Rake or pick off toadstools as they appear to stop them spreading their spores
Aerate the soil in multiple passes with a hollow tine aerator or verti-drainer and remove the cores, this will create a pathway for treatments and moisture.
Ask a turf professional to apply a mixture of systemic fungicide and wetting agent at 6-weekly intervals until the soil can absorb water again
On smaller patches, you can take a DIY approach by applying a mix of water and washing up liquid (1-2 tbsp. in a watering can of water should do it)
Applying fertiliser and can even up the appearance of the lawn